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ANIMALS OF TH$ TROPICS 



EXPLORATIONS and ADVENTURES 

IN THE 

Wilds of Africa 

CONTAINING 

Graphic Stories of Marvellous Discoveries 
by World=Renowned Travelers 

INCLUDING 

MIRACULOUS ESCAPES FROM FEROCIOUS ANIMALS OF 

THE JUNGLE AND PLAIN, CURIOUS CUSTOMS OF 

THE SAVAGE RACES, DARING DEEDS AND 

AMAZING TRIUMPHS, JOURNEYS IN 

UNKNOWN LANDS, Etc., Etc. 

TOGETHER WITH 

THRILLING DESCRIPTIONS OF SUPERB SCENERY, FERTLE 

VALLEYS, VAST FORESTS, MIGHTY RIVERS AND 

CATARACTS, INLAND SEAS, MINES OF 

UNTOLD WEALTH, Etc., Etc. 

THE WHOLE COMPRISING A 

Vast Treasury of all that is Marvellous and Wonderful 
in the Dark Continent 

By JAMES RUSSELL WILSON, 

The Celebrated Author, Traveler and Lecturer 



EMBELLISHED WITH A GREAT NUMBER OF STRIKING 
ENGRAVINGS OF SCENES IN THE TROPICS 






ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 1909, BY 

H. C. FRY 

IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON, D. C, U. 8. A. 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Cooies Received 

JUN 21^ IW& 

U Copyritrnt Entry A 
'CLASS A KXe, Ng, 



PREFACE 



Few subjects command mote attention at the present 
day than this very one of Explorations and Adventures in 
the Wilds of Africa. It may be said, on the other hand, that 
"of making many books there is no end," and since there are 
many in the libraries, published upon this subject, another 
is not necessary. But there is this point to be considered : 
Such libraries are not accessible, except in the large cities, 
and even there no one has so complete a collection on this 
special subject as the sources to which the author has had 
access. Again, some of the books are rare, and would be 
"cheaply purchased at their weight in gold," although some 
portions of their pages would rather cause the average reader 
to value them at their weight in lead, for heavy reading. 

In this great work the reader is made a fellow-explorer. 
He traverses vast and fertile plains, luxuriant valleys and 
desert wastes. He sees savage tribes in their curious cos- 
tumes, their strange marriage customs, their ludicrous 
superstitions, their reckless deeds of violence and their mon- 
strous social and religious rites, involving the frightful sacri- 
fice of human life. He witnesses grotesque war-dances, 
singular freaks of medicine men and rain makers, and strange 
antics of wizards. He beholds the majestic lion, the gigantic 
hippopotamus and fierce crocodile, monkey tribes, gorillas 
and venomous boa-constrictors, the fleet-footed ostrich, giraffe 
and zebra, the huge rhinoceros and bounding gazelle, and the 
ponderous elephant jarring the earth with his heavy tread. 
He witnesses the adventures of the chase, and deeds of daring 
surpassing the most startling tales of romance. He is capti- 
vated with tropical birds, arrayed in plumage of unrivalled 
beauty, and with brilliant forms of insect life, wonderful as 
the gigantic beasts of the plain and jungle. . 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 

Travels of Sir Samuel and Lady Baker 17 

CHAPTER II 

The Famous Valley of the Nile 35 

CHAPTER III 

In a Wild Country . 52 

CHAPTER IV 

The Niagara of Africa 77 

CHAPTER V 

A Renowned Exposition 96 

CHAPTER VI 

Two Celebrated Explorers . 126 

CHAPTER VII 

Wonderful Discoveries 148 

CHAPTER VIII 

Stanley's Graphic Description of Africa ......... 177 

CHAPTER IX 

A Famous African Hunter 213 

CHAPTER X 

Galaxy of Renowned Explorers . . . ._ 247 



Thrilling Adventures 

IN THE 

WILDS OF AFRICA 

CHAPTER I. 

Famous African Travellers — Achievements Almost Superhuman — Fascination of 
Tropical Explorations — Sir Samuel and Lady Baker — Discomforts of Travelling 
in Africa — The Travellers Pitch Their Tents in a Garden — Fine Looking Slaves 
From the White Nile— Description of a Beautiful Slave Girl — Sudden Rise of the 
Nile — A Clew to One Part of the Nile Mystery — Interview With a Great Sheik — 
Venerable Arab on a Beautiful Snow-white Dromedary — Perfect Picture of a 
Desert Patriarch — Cordial Welcome to Baker and His Party — A Performance to 
Show the Sheik's Hospitality — The Travellers Living in Huts — A German in the 
Wilds of Africa — Man Killed by a Lion — Baker's Adventure With a River-horse 
— Savage Old Hippopotamus— Famous Arab Hunters — Wonderful Weapons — 
Story of the Old Arab and His Trap for the Hippopotamus — Capture of an 
Enormous Beast— Aggageers Hunting the Elephant — Thrilling Adventure of a 
Renowned Arab Hunter — An Elephant Dashing Upon His Foes Like an Ava- 
lanche — Fatal Blow of the Sharp Sword— Baker's Heroic Wife— Reason Why the 
Nile Overflows — An Ivory Trader— Baker Arrives at Khartoum. 

HE following pages of this great work give a 
full and thrilling account of the marvelous 
discoveries of world-renowned travellers in 
the Tropics. The reader is made a fellow- 
explorer with Sir Samuel Baker, Speke, and Grant, whose daring 
expeditions in Central Africa place them in the front rank of 
neroes, with Livingstone, Stanley, DuChaillu, Baldwin and others, whose 
undaunted bravery in the face of danger, and victories over bloodthirsty 
savages and wild beasts, have a realistic fascination. 

Sir Samuel, when he was simply called Mr. Baker, was already 

an experienced traveler and a practiced sportsman, having resolved to 

devote his energies to the discovery of one of the sources of the Nile, 

he set forth from England to proceed up the mysterious river from its 

W.A.— 2 17 




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18 



THE MALE GORILLA 



TRAVELS OF SIR SAMUEL AND LADY BAKER. 19 

mouth, inwardly determined to accomplish the difficult task or to die in 
the attempt. He had, however, shortly before married a young wife. 
She, with a devoted love and heroism seldom surpassed, notwithstanding 
the dangers and difficulties she knew she must encounter, entreated to 
accompany her husband. 

Leaving Cairo on the 15th of April, they sailed up the Nile, Soon 
the discomforts of travel became almost unbearable, as will be seen from 
the following entry, early in May, in Baker's journal : 

" No air. The thermometer 104 degrees ; a stifling heat. Becalmed,, 
we have been lying the entire day below the ruins of Philae. These are 
the most imposing monuments of the Nile, owing to their peculiar situa- 
tion upon a rocky island that commands the passage of the river above 
the cataract. The banks of the stream are here hemmed in by ranges of 
hills from 100 to 250 feet high ; these are entirely destitute of soil, being 
composed of enormous masses of red granite, piled block upon block, 
the rude masonry of Nature that has walled in the river. 
Barren Rocks and. Sandy Wastes. 

" The hollows between the hills are choked with a yellow sand, which v 
drifted by the wind, has, in many instances, completely filled the narrow 
valleys. Upon either side of the Nile are vestiges of aixient fort? The 
land appears as though it bore the curse of Heaven ; misery, barrenness, 
and the heat of a furnace, are its features. The glowing rocks, devoid 
of a trace of vegetation, reflect the sun with an intensity that must be 
felt to be understood. The miserable people who dwell in villages upon 
the river's banks snatch every sandbank from the retiring stream, and im- 
mediately plant their scanty garden with melons, gourds, and lentils, this 
being their only resource for cultivation. Not an inch of available soil 
is lost ; but day by day, as the river decreases, fresh rows of vegetables 
are sown upon the newly-acquired land. At Assouan, the sandbanks are 
purely sand brought down by the cataracts, therefore soil must be added 
to enable the people to cultivate. They dig earth from the ruins of the 
ancient town ; this they boat across the river and spread upon the sand- 
bank, by which excessive labor they secure sufficient mold to support 
their crops. 

" In the vicinity of Philaae the very barrenness of the scenery possesses 
BL charm. The iron-like sterility of the granite rocks, naked except in 
spots where the wind has sheeted them with sand ; the groves of palms 
springing unexpectedly into view in this desert wilderness, as a sudden 
bend of the river discovers a village ; the ever blue and never clouded 
sky above, and, the only blessing of this blighted land, the Nile, silently 



20 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

flowing between its stern walls of rocks towards the distant land of 
Lower Egypt, form a total that produces a scene to be met with nowhere 
but upon the Nile. In this miserable spot the unfortunate inhabitants 
are taxed equally with those of the richer districts — about ten cents 
annually for each date palm." 

When the party had been twenty-six days on the river they reached 
Korosko. At this wretched spot the Nile is dreary beyond description 
ts a vast desert, unenlivened by cultivation, forms its borders, through 
which the melancholy river rolls towards Lower Egypt in the cloudless 
glare of a Tropical sun. Whence came this extraordinary stream that 
could flow through these burning sandy deserts, unaided by tributary 
channels? That was the mysterious question as they stepped upon the 
shore now, to commence a land journey in search of the distant 
sources. They climbed the steep sandy bank, and sat down beneath a 
solitary sycamore. 

A Wretched Place. 

Korosko is not rich in supplies. A few miserable Arab huts, with the 
usual fringe of dusty date palms, compose the village ; the muddy river 
is the frontier on the west, the burning desert on the east. Thus hemmed 
in, Korosko is a narrow strip of a few yards width on the margin of the 
Nile, with only one redeeming feature in its wretchedness — the green 
shade of the old sycamore beneath which they sat. 

Baker says : " I had a firman from the Viceroy, a cook, and a drago- 
man. Thus, my outfit was small. The firman was an order to all Egyp- 
tian officials for assistance ; the cook was dirty and incapable ; and the 
interpreter was nearly ignorant of English, although a professed polyglot. 
With this small beginning, Africa was before me, and thus I commenced 
the search for one of the sources of the Nile," 

From Korosko the travellers crossed the Nubian Desert on camels, 
with the simoon in full force and the heat intense, to Berber. Here Mr. 
Baker, finding his want of Arabic a great drawback, resolved to devote 
a year to the study of that language, and to spend the time in the com- 
paratively known regions to the north of Abyssinia, while he explored 
the various confluences of the Blue Nile. 

Berber is a large town, and in appearance is similar to the Nile towns 
wf Lower Egypt, consisting of the usual dusty, unpaved streets, and flat- 
roofed houses of sun-baked bricks. It is the seat of a Governor or 
Mudir, and is generally the quarters for about 1,500 troops. Says Baker: 
" We were very kindly received by Halleem Efiendi, the ex-Governor, 
who at once gave us permission to pitch the tents in his garden, close to 



22' WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

the Nile, on the southern outskirt of the town. After fifteen days of 
desert marching, the sight of a well-cultivated garden was an Eden in 
our eyes. About eight acres of land, on the margin of the river, were 
thickly planted with lofty date groves, and shaded citron and lemon trees, 
beneath which we reveled in luxury on our Persian rugs, and enjoyed 
complete rest after the fatigue of our long journey. 

Beautiful Garden. 

* Countless birds were chirping and singing in the trees above uk;. 
Innumerable ring-doves were cooing in the shady palms ; and the suddeft 
change from the deadly sterility of the desert to the scene of verdure 
and of life produced an extraordinary effect upon the spirits. What 
caused this curious transition ? Why should this charming oasis, teem- 
ing with vegetation and with life, be found in the yellow, sandy desert "* 
Water had worked this change ; the spirit of the Nile, more potent than 
any genii of the Arabian fables, had transformed the desert into a fruit- 
ful garden. Halleem Effendi, the former Governor, had, many years 
ago, planted this garden, irrigated by numerous water-wheels ; md we 
now enjoyed the fruits, and thanked Heaven for its greatest blessings in 
that burning land, shade and cool water." 

The garden of Halleem Effendi was attended by a number of fine, 
powerful slaves from the White Nile, whose stout frames and glossy 
skins were undeniable witness of their master's care. Here Baker and 
his party received visits from their host and the governor, as well as from 
other officers, who expressed their astonishment when they announced 
their intention of oroceeding to the head of the Nile. 

" Do not ga en such an absurd errand," exclaimed Halleem Eftendi_ 
" Nobody knows anything about the Nile. We do not even k'"ow the 
source of the Atbara. While you remain within the territory of the 
Pacha of Egypt you will be safe ; but the moment you cross the frontier 
you will be in the hands of savages." 

Their host sent them daily presents of fruit by a charmingly pretty 
slave girl, whose numerous mistresses requested permission to pay thg 
travellers a visit. 

In the cool hour of evening a bevy of ladies approached through the 
dark groves of citron trees, so gaily dressed in silks of the brightest dyes 
of yellow, blue and scarlet, that no bouquet of flowers could have been 
more gaudy. They were attended by numerous slaves, and the head 
servant politely requested Baker to withdraw during the interview. 
Some of these ladies were very young and pretty, and of course exercised 
9 certain influence over their husbands ; thus, on the following morning 




THE BEAUTIFUL SLAVE GIRL AT BERBER 



23 



24 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

the travellers were inundated with visitors, as the male members of the 
family came to thank them for the manner in which their ladies had been 
received ; and fruit, flowers, and the general produce of the garden were 
presented them in profusion. However pleasant, there were drawbacks 
to their Garden of Eden ; there was dust in their Paradise — sudden 
clouds raised by whirlwinds in the desert, which fairly choked the ears 
and nostrils when thus attacked. June is the season when these phe- 
nomena are most prevalent. At that time the rains have commenced it 
the south, and are extending toward the north ; the cold and heavier air 
of the southern rain-clouds sweeps down upon the overheated atmos- 
phere of the desert, and produces sudden, violent squalls and whirlwinds 
w'*^n least expected, as at that time the sky is cloudless. 
Guard of Turkish Soldiers. 

After a week spent at this pleasant spot, they commenced their journey, 
attended by a guard of Turkish soldiers, who were to act in the double 
capacity of escort and servants. Their dragoman was called Mahomet, 
and the principal guide Achmet. The former, though almost black, 
declared that his color was of a light brown. As already stated, he spoke 
very bad English, was excessively conceited, and irascible to a degree. 
Accustomed to the easy-going expeditions on the Nile, he had no taste 
for the rough sort of work his new master had undertaken. The jour- 
ney across the desert tract was performed on donkeys, the luggage as 
well as some of the travellers, being carried on camels or dromedaries. 

In two days they reached the junction of the Atbara river with the 
Nile. Here, crossing a broad surface of white sand, which at that season 
formed the dry bed of the river, they encamped near a plantation of 
water-melons, with which they refreshed themselves and their tired don- 
keys. The river was here never less than four hundred yards in width, 
with banks nearly thirty feet deep. Not only was it partially dry, but so 
clear was the sand-bed that the reflection of the sun was almost unbear j 
able. 

Fine River and Forest Game. 

They traveled along the banks of the river for some days, stopping by 
fche side of the pools which still remained. Many of these pools were 
full of crocodiles and hippopotami. One of these river-horses had lately 
killed the proprietor of a melon-garden, who had attempted to drive the 
creature from his plantation. Mr. Baker had the satisfaction of killing 
one of the monsters in shallow water. It was quickly surrounded by 
Arabs, who hauled it on shore, and, on receiving his permission to take 
the meat, in an instant a hundred knives were at work, the men fighting 



TRAVELS OF SIR SAMUEL AND LADY BAKER. 25 

to obtain the most delicate morsels. He and his wife breakfasted that 
morning on hippopotamus flesh, which was destined to be their general 
food during their journey among the Abyssinian tributaries of the Nile. 
Game abounded, and he shot gazelles and hippopotami sufficient to keep 
the whole camp well supplied with meat. 

One day in June they were nearly suffocated by a whirlwind that 
buried everything in the tents several inches in dust. The heat was 
intense ; the night, however, was cool and pleasant. About half-past 
eight, as Mr. Baker lay asleep, he fancied that he heard a rumbling like 
distant thunder. The low uninterrupted roll increasing in volume, pres- 
ently a confusion of voices arose from the Arabs' camp, his men shout^ 
ing as they rushed through the darkness : " The river ! the river ! ' ; 

Mahomet exclaimed that the river was coming down, and that the 
supposed distant roar was the approach of water. Many of the people f 
who had been sleeping on the clean sand of the river's bed, were quickly 
awakened by the Arabs, who rushed down the steep bank to save the 
skulls of two hippopotami which were exposed to dry. 
Sudden Rise of the Nile. 

The sound of the torrent, as it rushed by amid the daikness, and the 
jnen, dripping with wet, dragging their heavy burdens up the bank, told 
that the great event had occurred. The river had arrived like a thief in 
the night. The next morning, instead of the barren sheet of clear white 
sand with a fringe of withered bush and trees upon its borders, cutting 
the yellow expanse of desert, a magnificent stream, the noble Atbara 
river flowed by, some five hundred yards in width, and from fifteen to 
twenty feet in depth. Not a drop of rain, however, had fallen ; but the 
current gave the traveller a clue to one portion of the Nile mystery. 
The rains were pouring down in Abyssinia — these were the sources of 
the Nile. 

The rainy season, however, at length began, during which it was 
impossible to travel. The Arabs during that period migrate to the 
drier regions in the north. On their way they arrived in the neighbor 
hood of the camp of the great Sheikh Achmet Abou Sinn, to whom Mr 
Baker had a letter of introduction. Having sent it forward by Mahomet s 
In a short time the sheikh appeared, attended by several of his principal 
people. He was mounted on a beautiful snow-white dromedary, his 
appearance being remarkably dignified and venerable. Although 
upwards of eighty years old, he was as erect as a lance, and of herculean 
stature ; a remarkably arched nose, eyes like an eagle's, beneath large, 
thaggy, but perfectly white eyebrows, while a snow-white beam of great 



26 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

thickness descended below the middle of his breast. He wore a. largg 
white turban, and a white cashmere robe reaching from the throat to the 
ankles. He was indeed the perfect picture of a desert patriarch. He 
insisted on the travellers accompanying him to his camp, and would hear 
of no excuses. Ordering Mahomet to have their baggage repacked, he 
requested them to mount two superb dromedaries with saddle-cloths of 
61ue and purple sheep-skins, and they set out with their venerable host 
followed by his wild and splendidly-mounted attendants. 
Cordial Welcome of a Great SlieikJi. 

As they approached the camp they were suddenly met by a crowd of 
mounted men, armed with swords and shields, some on horses, others on 
dromedaries. These were Abou Sinn's people, who had assembled to do 
honor to their chief's guests. Having formed in lines parallel with the 
approach of their guests, they galloped singly at full speed across the 
line of march, flourishing their swords over their heads, and reining in 
their horses so as to bring them on their haunches by the sudden halt. 
This performance being concluded, they fell into line behind the party. 

Declining the sheikh's invitation to spend two or three months at his 
camp, Mr. and Mrs. Baker travelled on to the village of Sofi, where they 
proposed remaining during the rainy season. It was situated near the 
banks of the Atbara, on a plateau of about twenty acres, bordered on 
either side by two deep ravines, while below the steep cliff in front of the 
village flowed the river Atbara. Their tents were pitched on a level 
piece of ground just outside the village, where the grass, closely nibbled 
by the goats, formed a natural lawn. Here huts were built and some 
weeks were pleasantly spent. Mr. Baker found an abundance of sport, 
sometimes catching enormous fish, at others shooting birds to supply his 
larder, but more frequent!}' hunting elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes, and 
other large game. 

He here found a German named Florian, a stone-mason by trade, who 
had come out attached to the Austrian mission at Khartoum, but prefer- 
ring a freer life than that city afforded, had become a great hunter. Mr 
Baker, thinking that he would prove useful, engaged him as a hunter, 
and he afterwards took into his service Florian's black servant Richanij 
who became his faithful attendant. A former companion of Florian's s 
Johann Schmidt, soon afterwards arrived, and was also engaged by Mr 
Baker to act as his lieutenant in his proposed White Nile expedition. 
Poor Florian, however, was killed by a lion, and Schmidt and Richarn 
alone accompamsd him. 

Mr. Baker's skill as a sportsman was frequently called into play by the 



28 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

natives, to drive off the elephants and hippopotami which infested thelf 
plantations. One afternoon he was requested to shoot a savage old bull 
hippopotamus which had given chase to several people. He rode to 
the spot, about two miles off, where the hippopotamus lived in s 
deep and broad portion of the river. The old hippopotamus was at 
home. 

The river, about two hundred and fifty yards wide, had formed by an 
acute bend a deep hole. In the centre of this was a sandbank just below 
the surface. Upon this shallow bed the hippotamus was reposing. Orr 
perceiving the party he began to snort and behave himself in a most 
absurd manner, by shaking his head and leaping half way out of the 
water. Mr. Baker had given Bacheet and other attendants rifles, and had 
ordered them to follow on the bank. He now directed one to fire several 
shots at the hippopotamus, in order if possible, to dri. - the animal 
towards him. The hippo, a wicked, solitary, old bull, returned the insult 
by charging towards Bacheet with a tremendous snorting, which sent 
him scrambling up the steep bank in a panic. This gave the brute con- 
fidence ; and the sportsman, who had hitherto remained concealed, called 
out according to Arabic custom : " Hasinth / hasinth /" the Arabic for 
hippopotamus. The brute, thinking no doubt that he might as well 
jrive the intruder away, gave a loud snort, sank, and quickly reappeared 
about a hundred yards from him. On this Mr. Baker ordered Bacheet 
to shoot to attract the animal's attention. As the hippopotamus turned 
his head, Mr. Baker took a steady shot, aiming behind the ear, and im- 
mediately the saucy old hippo turned upon his back ant rolled about 
hashing the still pool into waves, until at length he disappeared. 
Famous Arab Hunters. 

His intention of engaging a party of the Hamran Arabs, celebrated as 
rtunters, to accompany him in his explorations of the Abyssinian rivers 
having become known, several of these men made their appearance at 
Sofi. They are distinguished from the other tribes of Arabs by an extra 
length of hair, worn parted down the centre and arranged in long curls. 
They are armed with swords and shields, the former having long, straight 
avo-edged blades, with a small cross for the handle, similar to the long, 
straight, cross-handled blades of the crusaders. Their shields, formed 
of rhinoceros, giraffe, or elephant-hide, are either round or oval. Theii 
swords, which they prize highly, are kept as sharp as razors. The length 
of the blade is about three feet, and the handle six inches long. It is 
secured to the wrist by a leathern strap, so that the hunter cannot by any 
accident be disarmed. 



TRAVELS OF SIR SAMUEL AND LADY BAKE*, 29 

These men go in chase of all wild animals of the desert ; some are 
noted as expert hippopotamus slayers, but the most celebrated are the 
Aggageers, or elephant hunters. The latter attack the huge animal 
either on horseback, or on foot when they cannot afford to purchase 
steeds. In the latter case, two men alone hunt together. They follow 
the tracks of an elephant which they contrive to overtake about noon, 
when the animal is either asleep or extremely listless and easy to approach. 
Should the elephant be asleep, one of the hunters will creep towards its 
head, and with a single blow sever the trunk stretched on the ground, the 
result being its death within an hour from bleeding. Should the animal 
be awake, they will creep up from behind, and give a tremendous cut at 
he back sinew of the hind leg, immediately disabling the monster. It is 
.followed up by a second cut on the remaining leg, when the creature 
becomes their easy prey. 

When hunting on horseback, generally four men form a party, and 
they often follow the tracks of a herd from their drinking-place for 
Upwards of twenty miles. Mr. Baker accompanied them on numerous 
hunting expeditions, and witnessed the wonderful courage and dexterity 
they displayed. 

After spending three months at Sofi, he set out for the Settite River, 
r*e and his wife crossing the Atbara River on a raft formed of his large 
circular sponging bath supported by eight inflated skins secured to his 
bedstead. 

An Old Arab's Trap for the River-horse. 

A party of the Aggageers now joined him. Among them was Aboif 
Do, a celebrated old hippopotamus hunter, who, with his spear of trident 
shape in hand, might have served as a representative of Neptune. The 
old Arab was equally great at elephant hunting, and had on the previous 
day exhibited his skill, having assisted to kill several elephants. He now 
divested himself of all his clothing, and set out, taking his harpoon in 
hand, in search of hippopotami. 

This weapon consisted of a steel blade about eleven inches long and 
three-qarters of an inch in width, with a single barb. To it was attached 
a strong rope twenty feet long, with a float as large as a child's head at 
she extremity. Into the harpoon was fixed a piece of bamboo ten feet 
bng, around which the rope was twisted, while the buoy was carried on 
the hunter's left hand. 

After proceeding a couple of miles, a herd of hippopotami were seen in 
a pool below a rapid surrounded by rocks. He, however, remarking that 
they were too wide-awake to be attacked, continued his course down the 



30 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



stream till a smaller pool was reached. Here the immense head of a 
hippopotamus was seen, close to a perpendicular rock that formed a wall 
to the river. The old hunter, motioning the travellers to remain quiet, 
immediately plunged into the stream and crossed to the opposite 
bank, whence, keeping himself under shelter, he made his way directly 
Awards the spot beneath which the hippopotamus was lying. Stealthily 




THE OLD . HAB ATTACKING THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

fie approached, his long thin arm raised, with the harpoon ready t@ 
Strike. 

The hippopotamus, however, had vanished, but far from exhibiting sur- 
prise, the veteran hunter remaining standing on the sharp ledge, un- 
changed in attitude. No figure of bronze could be more rigid than that 
of the old river king, as he thus stood, his left foot advanced, his right 



TRAVELS OF SIR SAMUEL AND LADY BAKER. 31 

hand grasping the harpoon above his head, and his left the loose coil o* 
rope attached to the buoy. 

Three minutes thus passed, when suddenly the right arm of the statue 
descended like lightning, and the harpoon shot perpendicularly into 
the pool with the speed of an arrow. In an instant an enormous pair of 
open jaws appeared, followed by the ungainly head and form of a furious 
iiippopotamus, who, springing half out of the water, lashed the river int@ 
foam as he charged straight up the violent rapids. With extraordinary 
power he breasted the descending stream, gaining a footing in the rapids 
where they were about five feet deep, thus making his way, till, landing 
"rom the river, he started at a full gallop along the shingly bed, and dis- 
appeared in the thorny jungle. No one would have supposed that so 
unwieldly an animal could have exhibited such speed, and it was fortu- 
nate for old Neptune that he was secure on the high ledge of rock, for 
had he been on the path of the infuriated beast, there would have been 
an end of Abou Do. 

Tremendous Snorting- and Roaring. 

The old man rejoined his companions, when Mr. Baker proposed 
going in search of the animal. The hunter, however, explained that 
het hippopotamus would certainly return after a short time to the 
vater. In a few minutes the animal emerged from the jungle and 
descended at full trot into the pool where the other hippopotami had 
been seen, about half a mile off. Upon reaching it, the party were 
immediately greeted by the hippopotamus, who snorted and roared 
and quickly dived, and the float was seen running along the surface, 
showing his course as the cork of a trimmer does that of a pike when 
hooked. 

Several times the hippo appeared, but invariably faced them, and, as 
Mr. Baker could not obtain a favorable shot, he sent the old hunter 
across the stream to attract the animal's attention. The hippo, turning 
towards the hunter, afforded Mr. Baker a good chance, and he fired a 
steady snot behind the ear. The crack of the ball, in the absence ol 
any splash from the bullet, showed him that the hippopotamus was hit, 
while the float remained stationary upon the surface, marking the spot 
where the grand old bull lay dead beneath. The hunter obtaining assis« 
itance from the camp, the hippopotamus, as well as another which had 
been shot, were hauled on shore. The old bull measured fourteen feet 
two inches, and the head was three feet one inch from the front of the 
ear to the edge of the lip in a straight line. 

Though hippopotami are generally harmless, solitary old bulls arc 



32 WONDERS OF Ti ' TROPICS. 

sometimes extremely vicious, and frequently attack canoes without 
provocation. 

Many of the elephant hunts in which Mr. Baker engaged were 
exciting in the highest degree, and fraught with great danger. 

Among the Aggageers was a hunter, Rodur Sherrif, who, though his 
}rm had been withered in consequence of an accident, was as daring &? 
iny of his companions. 

Furious Combat. 

The banks of the Royan had been reached, where, a camp having 
been formed, Mr. Baker and his companions set out in search ot 
elephants. A large bull elephant was discovered drinking. The country 
around was partly woody, and the ground strewed with fragments of 
rocks, ill adapted for riding. The elephant had made a desperate charge, 
scattering the hunters in all directions, and very nearly overtaking Mr. 
Baker. He then retreated into a stronghold composed of rocks and 
uneven ground, with a few small leafless ^rees growing in it. The scene 
toust be described in the traveller's own words : 

" Here the elephant stood facing the party like a statue, not mo\ jig a 
jnuscle beyond the quick and restless action of the eyes, which were 
watching on all sides. Two of the Aggageers getting into its rear by a 
wide circuit, two others, one of whom was the renowned Rodur Sherrif, 
mounted on a thoroughly-trained bay mare, rode slowly toward the ani- 
mal. Coolly the mare advanced towards her wary antagonist until within 
about nine yards of its head. The elephant never moved. Not a word 
was spoken. The perfect stillness was at length broken by a snort from 
the mare, who gazed intently at the elephant, as though watching for the 
moment of attack. Rodur coolly sat with his eyes fixed upon those of 
the elephant. 

" With a shrill scream the enormous creature then suddenly dashed on 
him like an avalanche. Round went the mare as though upon a pivot, 
away over rocks and stones, flying like a gazelle, with the monkey-like 
form of Rodur Sherrif leaning forward and looking over his left shoul- 
der as the elephant rushed after him. For a moment it appeared as if 
the mare must be caught. Had she stumbled, all would have been lost, 
but she gained in the race after a few quick bounding strides, and Rodur a 
still looking behind him, kept his distance, so close, however, to the 
creature, that its outstretched trunk was within a few feet of the mare's 
tail. 

" The two Aggageers who had kept in the rear now dashed forward 
dose to the hind quarters of the furious elephant, who, maddened with 




W.A.— 3 



33 



34 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

the excitement, heeded nothing but Rodur and his mare. When close to 
the tail of the elephant, the sword of one of the Aggageers flashed 
from its sheath as, grasping his trusty blade, he leaped nimbly to the 
ground, while his companion caught the reins of his horse. Two or 
three bounds on foot, with the sword clutched in both hands, and he 
was close behind the elephant. A bright glance shone like lightning 
as the sun struck on the descending steel. This was followed by a dulP 
crack, the sword cutting through skin and sinew, and sinking deep intc 
the bone about twelve inches above the foot. At the next stride the ele 
phant halted dead short in the midst of his tremendous charge. The 
Aggageer who had struck the blow vaulted into the saddle with his 
naked sword in hand. At the same moment Rodur turned sharp round 
and, again facing the elephant, stooped quickly from the saddle to pick 
up from the ground a handful of dirt, which he threw into the face of 
the vicious animal, that once more attempted to rush upon him. It was 
impossible ; the foot was dislocated and turned up in front like an old 
shoe. In an instant the other Aggageer leaped to the ground, and agair 
the sharp sword slashed the remaining leg." 

Nothing could be more perfect than the way in which these dari r j 
hunters attack their prey. " It is difficult to decide which to admire 
more — whether the coolness and courage of him who led the elephant, 
or the extraordinary skill and activity of the Aggageer who dealt the 
fatal blow." 

Thus, hunting and exploring, Mr. Baker, accompanied by his heroic 
wife, visited the numerous river-beds which carry the rains of the moun- 
tainous regions of Abyssinia into the Blue Nile, and are the cause of the 
periodical overflowing of the mighty stream, while its ordinary current is 
fed from other far-distant sources, towards one of which the traveller now 
prepared to direct his steps. 

Speke and Grant were at this time making their way from Zanzibar, 
across untrodden ground, towards Gondokoro. An expedition under 
Petherick, the ivory-trader, sent to assist them, had met with misfortune 
and been greatly delayed, and Mr. Baker therefore hoped to reach the 
equator, and perhaps to meet the Zanzibar explorers somewhere about 
the sources of the Nile. 

Proceeding along the banks of the Blue Nile, Mr. and Mrs. Baket 
reached Khartoum on the nth of June, 1 862, which they found to be 
a filthy and miserable town. 



CHAPTER IT. 
THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 

Immense Region ot the Soudan — Remarkable Character of "Chinese ' Ota* 
oon— A Man Made of Damascus Steel — A Warrior and Not an Explorer -M* 
and Mrs. Baker Crossing the Nubian Desert — Hardships of a Long Camel Jour 
»ey — The Romance of a Desert Journey Destroyed — Travelling Through g 
Furnace — A Nubian Thunder Storm — Baker's Description of a Camel Ride— A 
Humorous Experience — "Warranted to Ride Easy" — Extraordinary Freak o< 
Nature — Thorns Like Fish-hooks — Camel Plunging Into the Thorn Bushes— An 
African Scorpion — Water Six Inches Deep in the Tents — The Explorers Pressing 
Forward — The Party That Left Khartoum— The Carpenter Johann — Sickness 
and Death of Poor Johann — Celebrated Tribe of Blacks — Very Cheap Style cA 
Dress — Traits of the Neuhr Tribe — Ludicrous Attempt to Get Into Shoes — Mode 
of Salutation— Mosquitoes in Africa — Visit from a Chief and His Daughter- 
Leopard Skin and Skull Cap of White Beads— Men Tall and Slender— Puny 
Children— An Indolent and Starving People— Herds of Cattle — Sacred Bull 
With Ornamented Horns — How a Prussian Baron Lost His Life — Termination 
»f the Voyage — Appearance of the Country — The Explorers Looked Upon 
flfith Suspicion — Native Dwellings — The Perfection of Cleanliness — Huts With 
Projecting Roofs and Low Entrances — The Famous Bari Tribe — Warlike and 
Dangerous Savages — Story of an Umbrella— Systematic Extortion — Stories of 
Two Brave Boys. 

R. AND MRS. BAKER were now in the eastern part of tha? 
large desert region in Northern Africa which goes by the nam" 
of the Soudan. This immense tract has lately been broughl 
into prominence by the wonderful exploits ano' extraordinary 
heroism of General Gordon — " Chinese " Gordon, as he was called b» 
reason of achievements in China, which have given him remarkable fam> ( 
He was a bold, strong character, a man of uncommon nerve and endux 
ance, one who took a high moral view of the work in which he vrk 
engaged, whose conscientiousness could not be doubted, whose tact a» 
perseverance were conspicuous — -a man who was a kind of religious here* 
raised up for a certain great work, and who fell before it was fully acco£ 
plished. His name will go down to all generations. He was a silesf 
man, very much wrapped up within himself, somewhat stern in his dispo 
sition, whose nature was apparently made of Damascus steel, and who, 
although possessed of gentle qualities and much beloved by those wb r 
knew him best, was yet a man to be dreaded when not obeyed. 
*• Chinese" Gordon was not an explorer. He did not partake of the 

35 




36 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

character of Stanley, Baker, Livingstone, and others. Yet he succeeded 
in gaining a very strong hold upon the sympathies and the admiration of 
not only the English people, but of all civilized nations. He was a man 
to awaken enthusiasm and admiration, and the heroic sacrifice which he 
finally made of himself places a fitting climax upon his marvellous career, 
it is true that geographical discovery has had its great heroes ; it is also 
true that the attempts of European nations to carry their commerce, theit 
irms, their modes of government, into the benighted Continent of Africfe 
have had heroes none the less brilliant. 

It will be interesting to the reader to continue the journey through the 
ivilds of Abyssinia which lie upon the borders of the Soudan ; in fact, the 
Soudan may be said to include this vast region, which in itself is a Trop- 
ical wonder. 

We have already seen that Mr. and Mrs. Baker crossed the Nubian 
desert. This in itself was a formidable undertaking, for the dreary desert 
is the greatest obstacle to exploration southward into the region of Cen- 
tral Africa. 

This dreary tract we must cross, otherwise we can have no adequate 
idea of the hardships of the explorer's life, the difficulties and discour- 
agements he meets with at the very outset, and the surprising contrast 
between his experiences in the earlier and in the later stages of his 
progress. His voyage up the Nile, under the ever clear and brilliant 
sky of Egypt, past the silent shapes of the temples, the sphinxes, the 
pyramids, and other gigantic monuments of a great past, and surrounded 
by the sights and sounds of Oriental life, has been a holiday trip to the 
traveller bound lakewards. 

Hardships of a Long 1 Camel Bide. 

When he places his foot on the desert sand, and transfers his guns, his 
tent, and other appurtenances of travel from the river-boat to the back of 
the " ship of the desert " which is to convey him across the Great Bend 
of the Nile from Korosko to Abu Hammed, the stern reality of his task 
begins. The first day's sun, reflected with overpowering force from the 
T antastic cliffs and flinty sand of the Korosko Desert, probably burns out 
-f him any romance that he may have entertained in connection with 
Nubian travel; before the nearest halting-place is reached, the early 
delightful sense of the novelty of riding on camel-back has given place 
to a hearty detestation of the uneasy motion, the slow progress, and the 
abominable temper of that overlauded brute. 

Dr. Nachtigal, the celebrated African explorer, was once the guest of a 
rich Hamburg merchant The merchant's son, a young man of a some* 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OP THE NILE. 3T 

what sentimental temperament, said, among other things, that his clearest 
wish was to ride across the desert on the back of a camel. He thought 
such a ride must be very poetic indeed. " My dear young friend," 
replied the explorer, " I can tell you how you can get a partial idea of 
what riding- a camel on the deserts of Africa is like. Take an office 
stool, screw it up as high as possible, and put it in a wagon without any 
springs, then seat yourself on the stool, and have it drawn over rockj 
and uneven ground, during the hottest weather of July or August, aftei; 
you have not iiad anything to eat or drink for twenty-four hours, and 
then you will get a faint idea of how delightfully poetic it is to ride on a 
camel in the wilds of Africa." 

Travelling Through a Furnace. 

Soon you are glad to abandon travel in the full blaze of day, with its 
blistering glare from rock and sand, the pitiless sun overhead, and the 
furnace-like breath of the desert air, and you march at night, when the 
earth is growing cool again, under the great stars. Here and there, as 
you descend into the bed of a " wady," or dry-water course, the eye is 
relieved for an instant by a patch of green verdure, a frightened gazelle 
dashc iway to the shelter of the nearest sand-hills, or a glimpse is 
caughv jf a naked Arab youth tending his flock of goats ; for even the 
desert is not entirely void of plant and animal life, though every living 
thing i 'ms to partake of the arid nature and to bear the dusty colors of 
tl i suk junding waste. Even rain is not altogether unknown, and it is 
looked for at least once every winter season, although sometimes fouf 
years will pass without a fall. 

At these times the clouds that have drifted up from the distant Indian 
Oeean may be seen pitching their black tents about the summits of the 
mountain ridges that divide the Nile Valley from the Red Sea. The 
nomad &rab tribes, the only inhabitants of these thirsty hills, watch them 
with breathless hope. A north wind may blow during the night and 
drift them back whence they came. More likely they burst in thunder- 
storm — the whole of the storms of a season compressed into one furious 
onslaught of lightning and rain. The dry water-courses of yesterdaj 
are roaring torrents by morning, bearing down to the Nile a tribute of 
water for one day in the year at least 

For one day also, or perhaps for some weeks, the earth and air are 
swept of their impurities, and the face of the desert begins to look fresh 
and verdant, as grass and plants spring up rapidly on every hand ; but 
then again the drought and the heat return, and nature withers more 
rapidly than it sprang to life. There are spots, however, well known to 




38 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 39 

the Arab shepherd and camel-driver, where there are running water and 
green turf all the year round, or where, sheltered perhaps by the naked 
rocks of some deep ravine, a little oasis of palm and tamarisk trees is to 
be found. These are the halting-places on the march — the stepping- 
stones by means of which alone this howling wilderness may be crossed. 
Sometimes the wells fail, or are poisoned, or a predatory band occupies 
the springs ; and then the unfortunate traveller has to face the peril of 
death from thirst or exhaustion as the fainting caravan is hurried forward 
to the next halting-place. In any case he is fervently thankful when the 
shining waters of the Nile come again into sight at Abu Hammed, and 
this doleful stage of his desert wandering is at a close. 

Baker's Description of a Camel Ride. 

Our hero gives an interesting and withal humorous account of the 
experiences of himself and wife voyaging on the " ships of the desert." 
He says : When a sharp cut from the stick of the guide induces the 
jamel to break into a trot, the torture of the rack is a pleasant tickling 
compared to the sensation of having your spine driven by a sledge-ham- 
mer from below, half a foot deeper into the skull. The human frame lay 
be inured to almost anything ; thus the Arabs, who have always deen 
accustomed to this kind of exercise, hardly feel the motion, and the por- 
tion of the body most subject to pain in riding a rough camel upon two 
bare pieces of wood for a saddle, becomes naturally adapted for such 
rough service, as monkeys become hardened from constantly sitting upon 
rough surfaces. 

The children commence almost as soon as they are born, as they must 
accompany their mothers in their annual migrations ; and no sooner can 
the young Arab sit astride and hold oh, than he is placed behind his 
father's saddle, to which he clings, while he bumps upon the bare back' of 
the jolting camel. Nature quickly arranges a horny protection to the 
nerves by the thickening of the skin ; therefore an Arab's opinion o: the 
action of a riding camel should never be accepted without a personal 
trial. What appears delightful to him may be torture to you, as a strong 
breeze and a rough sea may be charming to a sailor, but worse than 
death to a landsman. 

" Warranted to Ride Easy." 

I was determined not to accept the camels now offered until I had seen 
them tried ; I accordingly ordered our black soldier, El Baggar,to saddle 
the most easy-actioned animal for my wife ; but I wished to see him put 
it through a variety of paces before she should accept it. The delighted 
£1 Baggar, who from long practice was as hard as the heel of a boot, 



40 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

disdained a saddle ; the animal knelt, was mounted, and off he started at 
full trot, performing a circle of about fifty yards diameter, as though in a 
circus. I never saw such an exhibition ! " Warranted quiet to ride, of 
easy action, and fit for a lady !" This had been the character received 
with the rampant brute, which now, with head and tail erect, went tearing 
round the circle, screaming and roaring like a wild beast, throwing his 
forelegs forward, and stepping at least three feet high in his trot. Where 
was El Baggar ? 

A disjointed-looking black figure was sometimes on the back of this 
easy-going camel, sometimes a foot high in the air : arms, head, legs, 
hands appeared like a confused mass of dislocations ; the woolly hair of 
this unearthly individual, that had been carefully trained in long, stiff, 
narrow curls, precisely similar to the tobacco known as " negro-head," 
alternately started upright en masse as though under the influence of 
electricity, and then fell as suddenly upon his shoulders ; had the dark 
individual been a "black dose/' he or it could not have been more 
thoroughly shaken. 

This object, so thoroughly disguised by rapidity of movement, was El 
Baggar; happy, delighted El Baggar! As he came rapidly round 
towards us, flourishing his stick, I called to him, " Is that a nice drome- 
dary for the Sit (lady), El Baggar ? Is it very easy ? " He was almost 
incapable of a reply. "V-e-r-y e-e-a-a-s-y," replied the trustworthy 
authority, "j-j-j-just the thin-n-n-n-g for the S-i-i-i-t-t-t." "All right, 
that will do," I answered, and the jockey pulled up his steed. "Are the 
other camels better or worse than that ? " I asked. " Much worse," 
replied El Baggar; " the others are rather tough, but this is an easy-god 
and will suit the lady well." 

An Extraordinary Freak of Nature. 

It was impossible to hire a good dromedary; an Arab prizes his 
riding animal too much, and invariably refuses to let it to a stranger, but 
generally imposes upon him by substituting some lightly-built camel, 
"hat he thinks will pass muster ; I accordingly chose for my wife a steady- 
going animal from among the baggage-camels, trusting to be able to 
obtain a better one from the great sheikh, Abou Sinn, who was encamped 
upon the road we were about to take along the valley of the Atbara. 

Upon arriving at the highest point of the valley, we found ourselves 
upon the vast table-land that stretches from the Atbara to the Nile. At 
this season the entire surface had a faint tint of green, as the young shoots 
of grass had replied to the late showers of rain ; so perfect a level was 
this great tract of fertile country, that within a mile of the valley of the 




wild Arab's swift ride. 



41 



42 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

Atbara there was neither furrow nor water-course, but the escape of th$ 
rainfall was by simple soakage. As usual, the land was dotted with 
mimosas, all of which were now bursting into leaf. 

The thorns of the different varieties of these trees are an extraordinary 
freak of Nature, as she appears to have exhausted all her art in producing 
an apparently useless arrangement of defence. The mimosas that are 
most common in the Souda provinces are mere bushes, seldom exceeding 
sixteen feet in height ; these spread out toward the top like mushroom^ 
but the branches commence within two feet of the ground ; they are 
armed with thorns in the shape of fish-hooks, which they resemble in 
sharpness and strength. A thick jungle composed of such bushes is per- 
fectly impenetrable to any animals but elephants, rhinoceroses and buf- 
faloes, and should the clothes of a man become entangled in such thorns, 
either they must give way or he must remain a prisoner. The mimosa 
that is known among the Arabs as the kittar, is one of the worst species, and 
is probably similar to that which caught Absalom by the hair ; this differ? 
from the well-known " wait-a-bit " of South Africa, as no milder nicknamt 
could be applied than " dead-stop." Were the clothes of strong mate- 
rial, it would be impossible to break through a kittar-bush. 
Camel Plunging- Into Thorn Bushes. 

A magnificent specimen of a kittar, with a wide-spreading head in the 
young glory of green leaf, tempted my hungry camel during our march , 
it was determined to procure a mouthful, and I was equally determined 
that it should keep to the straight path, and avoid the attraction of the 
green food. After some strong remonstrance 'jpon my part, the perverse 
beast shook its ugly head, gave a roar, and started off in full trot straight 
at the thorny bush. I had not the slightest control over the animal, and 
in a few seconds it charged the bush, with the mad intention of rushing 
either through or beneath it. To my disgust, I perceived that the wide- 
spreading branches were only just sufficiently high to permit the back of 
the camel to pass underneath. 

There was no time for further consideration ; we charged the bush ; 1 
held my head doubled up between my arms, and the next moment I was 
on my back, half stunned by the fall. The camel-saddle lay upon the 
ground, my rifle, that had been slung behind, my coffee-pot, the burst 
water-skin, and a host of other appurtenances, lay around me in all direo* 
tions ; worst of all, my beautiful gold repeater lay at some distance from 
me, rendered entirely useless. I was as nearly naked as I could be; a 
few rags held together, but my shirt was gone, with the exception of 
some shreds that adhered to my arms. I was, of course, streaming v/itb 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 



43 



blood, tind looked much more as though I had been clawed by a leopard 
than as having simply charged a bush. The camel had fallen down with 
the shock, after I had been swept off by the thorny branches. To this 
Jay I have the marks of the scratching. 

Unless a riding-camel is perfectly trained, it is the most tiresome 
animal to ride, after the first green leaves appear ; every bush tempts it 
from the path, and it is a perpetual fight between the rider and his beast 
throughout the journey. The Arab soldier who mounts his beast and 
darts away over the desert of sand does not encounter the obstacles that 
beset our path. 




VENOMOUS SCORPION. 

We shortly halted for the night, as I had noticed unmistakabk sign? 
of an approaching storm. We quickly pitched the tents, grubbed up the 
root and stem of a decayed mimosa, and lighted a fire, by the side oi 
which our people sat in a circle. Hardly had the pile begun to blaze, 
when a cry from Mahomet's new relative, Achmet, informed us that he 
had been bitten by a scorpion. Mahomet appeared to think this highly 
entertaining, until suddenly he screamed out likewise, and springing 
from the ground, he began to stamp and wring his hands in great agony ; 
he had himself been bitten, and we found that a whole nest of scorpions 



44 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

were in the rotten wood lately thrown upon the fire : in their flight from 
the heat they stung all whom they met. 

There was no time to prepare food ; the thunder already roared above 
as, and in a few minutes the sky, lately so clear, was as black as ink. I 
ihtad already prepared for the storm, and the baggage was piled within 
die tent; the ropes of the tents had been left slack to allow for the con- 
traction, and we were ready for the rain. It was fortunate that we were 
,n order ; a rain descended with an accompaniment of thunder and light 
aing, of a volume unknown to the inhabitants of cooler climates • for sev- 
eral hours there was almost an uninterrupted roar of the most deafeninp 
peals, with lightning so vivid that our tent was completely lighted up in 
the darkness of the night, and its misery displayed. Not only was the 
rain pouring through the roof, so that we were wet through as we 
crouched upon our angareps (stretchers), but the legs of our bedstead 
stood in more than six inches of water. 

Being as wet as I could be, I resolved to enjoy the scene outside the 
tent ; it was curious in the extreme. Flash after flash of sharp forked 
"ightning played upon the surface of a boundless lake; there was not a 
ibot of land visible, but the numerous dark bushes, projecting from the 
surface of the water, destroyed the illusion of depth that the scene would 
otherwise have suggested. The rain ceased ; but the entire country was 
iooded several inches deep, and when the more distant lightning flashed, 
as the storm rolled away, I saw the camels lying like statues built into 
the lake. On the following morning the whole of this great mass oj 
water had been absorbed by the soil, which had become so adhesive and 
slippery that it was impossible for the camels to move ; we therefore 
waited for some hours, until the intense heat of the sun had dried the sur- 
face sufficiently to allow the animals to proceed. 
A Regiment of Scorpions. 

Upon striking the tent, we found beneath the volance, between the 
:rown and the walls, a regiment of scorpions ; the flood had doubtless 
destroyed great numbers within their holes, but these, having been dis- 
turbed by the deluge, had found an asylum by crawling up the ten! 
walls : with great difficulty we lighted a fire, and committed them all to 
the flames. Mahomet made a great fuss about his hand, which was cer* 
tainly much swollen, but not worse than that of Achmet, who did not 
complain, although during the night he had been again bitten on the leg 
by one of these venomous insects, that had crawled from the water upon 
his clothes. 

Our last chapter left Mr. and Mrs. Baker at Khartoum. As the gov* 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 45 

ernmem of Soudan refused to supply Baker with properly-trained soldiers, 
the only men he could get for an escort were the barbarous ruffians of 
Khartoum, who had been accustomed all their lives to plunder in the 
White Nile trade ; yet, such as they were, he was compelled to put up 
with them, though he would undoubtedly have done better had he gone 
without such an escort. The voyage alone to Gondokoro, the navigable 
iimit of the Nile, was likely to occupy about fifty days, so that a large 
supply of provisions was necessary. ; 

Says Baker : To organize an enterprise so difficult that it had hitherto 
defeated the whole world required a careful selection of attendants, and I 
looked with despair at the prospect before me. The only men procurable 
for escort were the miserable cut-throats of Khartoum, accustomed to 
murder and pillage in the White Nile trade, and excited not by the love 
of adventure but by the desire for plunder: to start with such men 
appeared mere insanity. An exploration to the Nile sources was a march 
through an enemy's country, and required a powerful force of well-armed 
men. For the traders there was no great difficulty, as they took the 
initiative in hositilities and had fixed camps as supply stations, but for 
an explorer there was no alternative but a direct forward march without 
any communications with the rear. 

The preparations for such a voyage are no trifles. I required forty-five 
armed men as escort, forty men as sailors, which, with servants, etc., 
raised my party to ninety-six. In the hope of meeting Speke and Grant's 
party, I loaded the boats with an extra quantity of corn. 
The Carpenter Johann. 

In all the detail, I was much assisted by a most excellent man whom 
I had engaged to accompany me as my head-man, a German carpenter, 
johann Schmidt. I had formerly met him hunting on the banks of the 
Settite river, in the Base country, where he was purchasing living ani- 
mals from the Arabs, for a contractor to a menagerie in Europe ; he was 
an excellent sportsman, and an energetic and courageous fellow ; per- 
fectly sober and honest. Alas ! " the spirit was willing, but the flesh 
was weak," and a hollow cough, and emaciation, attended with hurried 
respiration, suggested disease of the lungs. 

Day after day he faded gradually, and I endeavored to persuade hin: 
not to venture upon such a perilous journey as that before me : nothing 
would persuade him that he was in danger, and he had an idea that the 
climate of Khartoum was more injurious than the White Nile, and that 
the voyage would improve his health. Full of good feeling, and a wish 
to please, he persisted in working and perfecting the various arrange* 

29 



46 WONDERS OF THE TROPICSw 

ments, when he should have been saving his strength for a severe* 

trial. 

Soon afterward the German carpenter breathed his last. Baker gives 
an affecting account of his last moments : Johann is in a dying state, but 
sensible ; all his hopes, poor fellow, of saving money in my service and 
returning to Bavaria are past. I sat by his bed for some hours ; there 
was not a ray of hope ; he could speak with difficulty, and the filer 
walked across his glazed eyeballs without his knowledge. Gently bath 
Ing his face and hands, I asked him if I could deliver any message to his 
relatives. He faintly uttered, " I am prepared to die ; I have neither 
parents nor relations ; but there is one — she — " he faltered. He could not 
finish his sentence, but his dying thoughts were with one he loved; fat, 
far away from this wild and miserable land, his spirit was transported to 
his native village, and to the object that made life dear to him. Did not 
a shudder pass over her, a chill warning at that sad moment when all 
was passing away? I pressed his cold hand, and asked her name. 
Gathering his remaining strength he murmured, " Krombach." Krom- 
bach was merely the name of his native village in Bavaria. 

" Es bleibt nur zu sterben." " Ich bin sehr dankbar." These were the 
last words he spoke, " I am very grateful." I gazed sorrowfully at his 
attenuated figure, and at the now powerless hand that had laid low many 
an elephant and lion, in its day of strength ; and the cold sweat of death 
lay thick upon his forehead. Although the pulse was not yet still. 
Johann was gone. 

I made a huge cross with my own hands from the trunk of a tamarino 
tree, and by moonlight we laid him in his grave in this lonely spot. 

" No useless coffin enclosed his breast, 
Nor in sheet nor in shroud we wound him ; 
But he lay like a pilgrim taking his rest, 
With his mantle drawn around him." 

This is a mournful commencement of the voyage. Poor fellow, I did ali 
I could for him although that was but little ; and hands far more tende? 
Ifhan mine ministered to his last necessities. 

Celebrated Tribe of Blacks. 
Soon the expedition was sailing past the country inhabited by tht 
Shillooks, the largest and most powerful black tribe on the banks of the 
White Nile. They are very wealthy, and possess immense herds of cat- 
tle; are also agriculturists, fishermen, and warriors. Their huts are 
regularly built, looking at a distance like rows of button mushrooms, 
They embark boldly on the river in their raft-like canoes, formed of the 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 



47 



excessively light ambatch-wood. The tree is of no great thickness, and 
tapers gradually to a point. It is thus easily cut down, and, several 
trunks being lashed together, a canoe is quickly formed. A war party 
on several occasions, embarking in a fleet of these rafts, have descended 
the river, and made raids on other tribes, carrying off women and chil- 
dren as captives, and large herds of cattle. 
Nothing can be more melancholy and uninteresting than the general 

m 




NATIVES OF THE NILE REGION. 

appearance of the banks of the river. At times vast marshes alone could 
be seen, at others an immense expanse of sandy desert, with huge ant- 
hills ten feet high rising above them. 

While stopping at a village on the right bank, Baker received a visi 
from the chief of the Nuehr tribe and a number of his followers. 

Contrary to the usual custom, this tribe possesses land on both sides 
of the Nile, which in the midst of their territory spreads itself into a lake. 



48 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

The Nuehr are a fine-looking race of savages, and very like savages they 
look. The men are tall, powerful, and well-formed, but their features 
approach the negro type, and are heavier and coarser than those of the 
tribes which have been previously mentioned. The women are not 
tjearly so good-looking as the men, and are rather clumsily built. 
Very Cheap Style of Dress. 

Neither sex is much troubled with clothes. The males never wear anj 
Jothes at all ; nor do the females, until they are married, when they tie 
a fringe of grass round their waists, some of the wealthier women being 
able to use a leathern fringe, of which they are very proud. Their orna- 
ments really seem to serve no other purpose but to disfigure the wearers 
as much as possible. Beginning with the head, the men stain their 
woolly hair of a dusty red by a mixture of which ashes form the chief 
part. They then take a sort of pipe-clay, and plaster it thickly into the 
hair at the back part of the head, dressing it up and shaping it until it is 
formed into a cone, the shape of the ornament varying according to the 
caprice of the individual. By means of this clay head-dress the hair is 
thrown back from the face, the expression of which is not impr^yed by 
the horizontal lines that are tattooed across it. 

The natural glossy black of the skin, which has so pleasing an appear- 
ance, is utterly destroyed by a coating of wood ashes, which gives to the 
surface a kind of grayish look. On the upper arm they generally wear 
a large armlet of ivory, and have heavy coils of beads round their necks. 
The wrists are adorned with rings of copper and other ornaments, and on 
the right wrist they carry an iron ring armed with projecting blades, very 
similar to that which is worn by the Latookas. 

Joctian, the chief of the Nuehr tribe, was asked by Baker what was the 
use of this weapon, and by way of answer he simply pointed to his wife's 
arms and back, which were covered with scars produced by this primi- 
tive wife-tamer. He seemed quite proud of these marks, and evidently 
considered them merely as ocular proofs that his wife was properly sub- 
servient to her husband. In common with the rest of his tribe, he had z 
small bag slung round his neck by way of a pocket, which held bits ot 
wood, beads, and all kinds of trifles. He asked for everything he saw r 
and, when anything of small size was given him, it straightway went int© 

the bag. 

Traits of the Nuehr Tribe. 

Still, putting aside these two traits of cruelty and covetousness, Joctian 
seems to have been a tolerably agreeable savage, and went away delighted 
with the presents he had received, instead of grumbling that he could 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 49 

not get more, as is the usual way among 1 savage chiefs. It was rather 
strange that, although he was so charmed with beads and bracelets, he 
declined to accept a knife, saying that it was useless to him. He had in 
his hands a huge pipe, holding nearly a quarter of a pound of tobacco, 
Every Nuehr man has one of these pipes, which he always carries with 
him, and, should his supply of tobacco be exhausted, he lights a piece of! 
charcoal, puts it into his pipe, and inhales the vapor that it draws from 
the tobacco-saturated bowl. 

The women are not so much adorned as the men, probably because 
the stronger sex prefer to use the ornaments themselves. At a little dis= 
tance the women all look as if they were smoking cigarettes. This odd 
appearance is caused by a strange ornament which they wear in their 
upper lip. They take a piece of iron wire, about four inches in length, 
and cover it with small beads. A hole is then pierced in the upper lip, 
and the ornament inserted, so as to project forward and rather upward, 

The Nuehr are very fond of beads, and are glad to exchange articles 
of food for them. One kind of bead, about the size and shape of a pig- 
eon's egg, is greatly valued by them; and, when Mr. Petherick was 
travelling through their country, he purchased an ox for eight such 
beads. The chief came on board the boat, and, as usual, asked id 
everything he saw. 

Ludicrous Attempt to Get Into Shoes. 

Among other odd things he set his affections on Mr. Petherick's shoes, 
which, as they were nearly worn out, were presented to him. Of course 
they were much too small for him, and the attempts which he made to 
put them on were very amusing. After many failures, he determined on 
taking them home, where he thought he might be able to get them on 
by greasing his feet well. 

When the chief entered the cabin, and saw the wonders of civilized 
life, he was quite overcome with the novel grandeur, and proceeded to 
kneel on one knee, in order to give the salutation due to a great chief. 
" Grasping my right hand, and turning up the palm, he quietly spat into 
It, and then, looking into my face, he deliberately repeated the process. 
Staggered at the man's audacity, my first impulse was to knock him 
down, but, his features expressing kindness only, I vented my rage by 
returning the compliment with all possible interest. His delight seemed 
excessive, and, resuming his seat, he expressed his conviction that 1 must 
be a great chief. Similar salutes followed with each of his attendants, and 
friendship was established." This strange salutation extends through 
many of the tribes that surround the Nuehr. 
W.A.— 4 



50 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

Sailing on day after day, with marshes and dead flats alone in sight, 
mosquitoes preventing rest even in the day, Baker and his party at 
length arrived at the station of a White Nile trader, where large herds of 
cattle were seen on the banks. 

Visit From a Chief and His Daughter. 

They were here visited by the chief of the Kytch tribe and his daughter, & 
|irl of about sixteen, better looking than most of her race. The father wore 
% leopard-skin across his shoulder, and a skull-cap of white beads, with s 
crest of white ostrich feathers. But this mantle was the only garment 
he had on. His daughter's clothing consisted only of a piece of dressed 
hide hanging over one shoulder, more for ornament than use, as the rest 
of her body was entirely destitute of covering. The men, though tall, 
were wretchedly thin, and the children mere skeletons. 

While the travellers remained here, they were beset by starving crowds, 
bringing small gourd shells to receive the expected corn. The natives, 
indeed, seem to trust entirely to the productions of nature for their sub- 
sistence, and are the most pitiable set of savages that can be imagined 
their long thin legs and arms giving them a peculiar gnat-like appearance 
Tb y devour both the skin and bones of dead animals. The bones are 
pounded between stones, and, when reduced to powder, boiled to form a 
kind of porridge. 

It is remarkable that in every herd they have a sacred bull, who is 
supposed to have an influence over the prosperity of the rest. His horns 
are ornamented with tufts of feathers, and frequently with small bells, 
and he invariably leads the great herd to pasture. 

A short visit was paid to the Austrian mission stationed at St. Croix, 
which has proved a perfect failure — indeed, that very morning it was sold 
;o an Egytian for $150 It was here the unfortunate Baron Harnier, a 
Prussian nobleman, was killed by a buffalo which he had attacked in the 
hopes of saving the life of a native whom the buffalo had struck down. 
Termination of the Voyage. 

The voyage terminated at Gondokoro on the 2d of February. The 
£ountry is a great improvement to the interminable marshes at the lower 
part of the river, being raised about twenty feet above the water, while 
distant mountains relieve the eye, and evergreen trees, scattered in all 
directions, shading the native villages, form an inviting landscape. A 
few miserable grass huts alone, however, form the town, if it deserves 
that name. 

A large number of men belonging to the various traders were assem- 
bled here, who looked upon tfef travellers with anything but friendly 



THE FAMOUS VALLEY OF THE NILE. 51 

eyes. As Mr. Baker heard that a party were expected at Gondokoro 
from the interior with ivory in a few days, he determined to await their 
arrival, in hopes that their porters would be ready to carry his baggage. 
In the meantime he rode about the neighborhood, studying the place and 
people. 

The native dwellings are the perfection of cleanliness. The domicile 
ji each family is surrounded by a hedge of euphorbia, and the interior of 
he enclosure generally consists of a yard neatly plastered. Upon this 
cleanly-swept surface are one or more huts, surrounded by granaries c* 
neat wicker-work, thatched, and resting upon raised platforms. The 
huts have projecting roofs, in order to afford a shade, and the entrance is 
usually about two feet high. 

The natives are of the Bari tribe. They are a warlike and dangerous 
tribe, being well armed and capable of using their weapons, so that a 
traveller who wishes to pass safely through their land must be able to 
show an armed front. When Captains Speke and Grant passed through 
their country, an umbrella was accidentally left behind, and some of the 
men sent to fetch it. The Bari, however, drew up in battle array, evi- 
dent}' knowing that without their leaders the men might be safely 
bullied, so that the umbrella was left to the mercies of the Bari chief. 

Owing to their position on the Nile, they do a great business in the 
slave trade, for as far as Gondokoro, the capital of the Bari country, 
steamers have been able to ascend the river. Consequently, every party 
of strangers is supposed — and mostly with truth — to be a slaving expe- 
dition, and is dreaded by one part of the population, while it is courted 
by the other. The quarrelsome disposition of the Bari has often brought 
them into collision with the traders, and, as might be imagined, the 
superior arms and discipline of the latter have given them such a superi- 
ority, that the Bari are not as troublesome as they used to be. Still, they 
are always on the watch for an opportunity of extortion, and, if a traveller 
even sits under a tree, they will demand payment for its shade. 

Unpleasant as these Bari are in their ordinary state, they can be trained 
nto good and faithful attendants, and are excellent material for soldiers. 
On one occasion, when a large party had attacked a body of traders, 
killed the standard-bearer, and nearly carried off the standard itself, a 
young Bari boy came to the rescue, shot with his pistol the man who 
was carrying off the standard, snatched it from him, and took it safely to 
his master. 




CHAPTER III. 
IN A WILD COUNTRY. 

Attempts to Shoot Baker — Desperate Mutiny in Camp— Notable Arrival — Meethi| 
Grant and Speke— The Little Black Boy from Khartoum— Fresh Plot Amoi^ 
Baker's Men — Disarming the Conspirators — Heroism in the Face of Danger- 
Mutinous Turks Driven Over a Precipice — Horrible Fate of Deserters— Exciting 
Elephant Hunt — March Through Beautiful Hunting Grounds — Thrilling Encoun- 
ter — The Huge Beast Turning on His Foes — Cowardly Followers— Elephant 
Nearly Caught — Wild Beasts Screaming Like a Steam Whistle^Tales of Narrow 
Escapes — African and Indian Elephants — Elephants in War— The Explorers at 
Obbo— Crafty Old Chief— Trouble to Get Rain— Spirited Dance of Obbos- 
Trying to Trade Wives — Satanic Escort — Grotesque Parade- -Serious Illness oi 
Mrs. Baker — Beautiful Landscape — Travelling in Canoes — Stc>rm on the Lake — 
Tropical Hurricane — Dangers of the Lake Tour— The Explorers Advancing 
Under Difficulties — Continued Attacks of Fever — Life Endangered by Travelling 
in the Tropics. 
(§) 

TJR traveller was looked upon at Gondokoro with suspicion. Sev- 
eral attempts were made to shoot him, and a boy was killed by a 
shot from the shore, on board his vessel. His men were imme- 
diately tampered with by the traders, and signs of discontent soon 
appeared among them. They declared that they had not sufficient meat, 
and that they must be allowed to make a razzia upon the cattle of the 
natives to procure oxen. This demand being refused, they became more 
insolent, and accordingly Mr. Baker ordered the ringleader, an Arab, to 
be seized and to receive twenty-five lashes. 

Upon approaching to capture the fellow, most of the men laid down 
their guns and, seizing sticks, rushed to his rescue. Mr. Baker, on this, 
sprang forward, sent their leader by a blow of his fist into their midstj. 
and then, seizing him by the throat, called for a rope to bind him. The 
men, still intent on their object, surrounded Mr. Baker, when Mrs. Baker s 
landing from the vessel, made her way to the spot. Her sudden appear* 
mce caused the mutineers to hesitate, when Mr. Baker shouted to the 
drummer-boy to beat the drum, and then ordered the men to fall in. 
Two-thirds obeyed him, and formed in line, while the remainder retreated 
with their ringleader. 

At this critical moment Mrs. Baker implored her husband to forgive 
the mutineer, if he would kiss his hand and beg his pardon. This com- 
promise completely won the men., who now called upoi* ttteii rin&leswte' 
52 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 53 

to apologize, and all would be right. This he did, and Mr. Baker made 
them rather a bitter speech and dismissed them. This, unhappily, was 
only the first exhibition of their mutinuous disposition, which nearly 
ruined the expedition, and might have led to the destruction of the trav- 
ellers. 

Notable Arrival. 

' A few days afterwards guns were heard in the distance, and news came 
that two white men had arrived from "the sea"! They proved to be 
Grant and Speke, who had just come from the Victoria Nyanza. Both 
looked travel-worn. Speke, who had walked the whole distance from 
Zanzibar, was excessively lean, but in reality in good tough condition. 
Grant's garments were well-nigh worn out, but both of them had that 
fire in the eye which showed the spirit that had led them through many 
dangers. 

They had heard of another lake to the westward of the Nyanza, known 
as the Luta Nzige, which Speke felt convinced was a second source of 
the Nile. Accordingly, he and Grant having generously furnished him 
with as perfect a map as they could produce, Baker determined to explore 
the lake, while his friends, embarking in his boats, sailed down the Nile 
on their voyage homeward. 

His men, notwithstanding the lesson they had received, still exhibited 
a determined mutinous disposition, and in every way neglected their" 
duties. Happily for him, he had among his attendants a little black 
boy, Saati, who, having been brought as a slave from the interior, had 
been for a time in the Austrian mission, from which, with many other 
slaves, he was turned out. Wandering about the streets of Khartoum, 
he heard of Mr. and Mrs. Baker, and, making his way to their house, 
threw himself at the lady's feet, and implored to be allowed to follow 
them. Hearing at the mission that he was superior to his juvenile com- 
panions, they accepted his services, and, being thoroughly washed, and 
attired in trousers, blouse, and belt, he appeared a different creature, 
From that time he considered himself as belonging entirely to Mrs, 
Baker, and to serve her was his greatest pride. She in return endeavored 
to instruct him, and gave him anecdotes from the Bible, combined with 
tfr«s first principles of Christianity. 

" Down With Your Guns This Moment ! '* 

Through the means of young Saati, Mr. Baker heard of a plot among 
the Khartoum escort, to desert him with their arms and ammunition, and 
to fire at him should he attempt to disarm them. The locks of their 
guns had, by his orders, been covered with pieces of mackintosh. Dire**- 



54 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

ing Mrs. Baker to stand behind him, he placed outside his tent, ch his 
travelling bedstead, five double-barrelled guns loaded with buck-shot, a 
revolver, and a naked sabre. A sixth rifle he kept in his own hands, 
while Richarn and Saati stood behind him with double-barrelled guns. 

He then ordered the drum to beat, and all the men to form in line oi 
marching order while he requested Mrs. Baker to point out any man 
who should attempt to uncover his lock when he gave the order to lay 
down their arms. In the event of the attempt being made, he intended 
r o shoot the man immediately. At the sound of the drum only fifteen 
assembled. He then ordered them to lay down their arms, This,w'*h 
insolent looks of defiance, they refused to do. 

" Down with your guns this moment ! " he shouted. 

At the sharp click of the locks, as he quickly capped the rifle in hr 
hand, the cowardly mutineers widened their line and wavered ; some 
retreated a few paces, others sat down and laid their guns on the ground, 
while the remainder slowly dispersed, and sat in twos or singly under 
the various trees about eighty paces distant. On advancing they capi- 
tulated, agreeing to give up their arms and ammunition on receiving a 
written discharge They were immediately disarmed. The discharge 
was made out, when upon each paper Mr. Baker wrote the word " muti- 
neer" above his signature. Finally, nearly the whole of the escort 
deserted, taking service with the traders. 

Heroism in the Face of Danger, 

Not to be defeated, Baker obtained a Bari boy as interpreter, deter- 
mined at all hazards to start from Gondokoro. A party of traders under 
one Koorshid, who had lately arrived from Latooka and were about to 
return, not only refused to allow the travellers to accompany them, but 
declared their intention of forcibly driving them back, should they attempt 
to advance by their route. This served as an excuse to the remainder of 
his escort for not proceeding. Saati discovered another plot, his men 
having been won over by Mahomet Her, another trader. 

Notwithstanding the danger he was running, Mr. Baker compelled his 
lien to march, and by a clever manoeuvre got ahead of the party led 
by Ibrahim, Koorshid's guide. Finally, by wonderful tact, assisted by 
Mrs. Baker, he won over Ibrahim, and induced him to render him all the 
assistance in his power. 

Aided by his new friend, he arrived at Tarrangolle, one of the princi- 
pal places in the Latooka country, a hundred miles from Gondokoro, 
which, though out of his direct route, would, he hoped, enable him 
with great ease finally to reach Unyoro, the territory of Kamrasi. In 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 55 

die meantime, however, several of his men had deserted and joined 
Mahomet Her. He had warned them that they would repent of their 
folly. His warnings were curiously fulfilled. 

News soon arrived that Mahomet Her, with a party oi a hundred and 
ten armed men, in addition to three hundred natives, had made a raid 
upon a certain village among the mountains for slaves and cattle. Hav- 
ing succeeded in burning the village and capturing a number of slaves, 
is they were re-ascending the mountain to obtain a herd of cattle they 
had heard of, they were attacked by a large body of Latookas, lying in 
embush among the rocks on the mountain side. 
Driven Over a Precipice. 

In vain the Turks fought ; every bullet aimed at a Latooka struck a 
rock, while rocks, stones, and lances were hurled at them from all sides 
and from above. Compelled to retreat, they were seized with a panic, 
and took to flight. Hemmed in by their foes, who showered lances and 
stones on their heads, they fled down the rocky and perpendicular 
ravines. Mistaking their road, they came to a precipice from which 
Jhere was no retreat. 

The screaming and yelling savages closed round them. All was use- 
less ; not an enemy could they shoot, while the savages thrust them for- 
ward with wild yells to the very verge of a precipice five hundred feet 
high. Over it they were driven, hurled to destruction by the mass of 
Latookas pressing onward. A few fought to the last ; but all were at 
length forced over the edge of the cliff, and met the just reward of theii 
atrocities. No quarter had been given, and upwards of two hundred of 
the natives who had joined the slave-hunters in the attack, had fallen 
with them. 

Mahomet Her had not accompanied his party, and escaped, though 
itterly ruined. The result of this catastrophe was highly beneficial to 
Mr. Baker. 

" Where are the men who deserted me ? " he asked of those who still 
'Remained with him. 

Without speaking, they brought two of his guns covered with clotted 
.blood mixed with sand. Their owners' names were known to him by 
the marks on the stocks. He mentioned them. 

" Are they all dead ? " he asked. 

" All dead," the men replied. 

'* Food for the vultures," he observed. " Better for them had they 
remained with me and done their duty." He had before told his men 
that the vultures would pick the bones of the deserters. 



56 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

Notwithstanding the dangers of his position, Mr. Baker frequently 
went out shooting, and, among other animals, he killed an enormous ele- 
phant. He was among the well-known Latooka tribe, whose fantastic 
'uneral dance has been described in a previous chapter. 

Baker gives the following graphic account of his adventures in pursuit 
of the game in which this part of Africa abounds : 

I started at 5 a. m. with my three horses and two camels, the lattet 
carrying water and food. After a march of two or three hours through 
the beautiful hunting-grounds formed by the valley of Latooka, with its 
alternate prairies and jungles, I came upon the tracks of rhinoceros, 
giraffes, and elephants, and shortly moved a rhinoceros, but could get 
no shot, owing to the thick bush in which he started and disappeared 
quicker than I could dismount. After a short circuit in search of the 
rhinoceros, we came upon a large herd of buffaloes, but at the same 
moment we heard elephants trumpeting at the foot of the mountains. 
Not wishing to fire, lest the great game should be disturbed, I contented 
myself with riding after the buffaloes, wonderfully followed on foot by 
Adda, one of my men, who ran like a deer, and almost kept up to my 
horse, hurling his three lances successively at the buffaloes, but without 
success. 

Thrilling Encounter. 

I had left the camels in an open plain, and returning from the gallop 
after the buffaloes, I saw the men on the camels beckoning to me in great 
excitement. Cantering towards them, they explained that a herd of bull 
elephants had just crossed an open space, and had passed into the jungle 
beyond. There was evidently abundance of game ; and calling my men 
together, I told them to keep close to me with the spare horses and rifles, 
while I sent the Latookas ahead to look out for the elephants : we fol- 
lowed at a short distance. 

In about ten minutes we saw the Latookas hurrying towards us, and 
almost immediately after, I saw two enormous bull elephants with 
splendid tusks about a hundred yards from us, apparently the leaders of 
an approaching herd. The ground was exceedingly favorable, being tol<= 
erably open, and yet with sufficient bush to afford a slight cover. Pres- 
ently, several elephants appeared and joined the two leaders — there was 
evidently a considerable number in the herd, and I was on the point 0/ 
dismounting to take the first shot on foot, when the Latookas, too eager, 
approached the herd; their red and blue helmets at once attracted the 
attention of the elephants, and a tremendous rush took place, the whole 
herd closing together and tearing off at full speed. " Follow me 1 " 1 



IN A WIIvD COUNTRY 



57 



hallooed to my men, and touching my horse with the spur, I intended- to 
dash into the midst of the herd. 




just at that instant, in his start, my horse slipped and fell suddenly 
upon his side, falling upon my right leg and thus pinning me to the 



58 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS, 

ground. He was not up to my weight, and releasing myself, I immedi* 
ately mounted my old Abyssinian hunter, " Tetel," and followed the 
tracks of the elephants at full speed, accompanied by two of the Latookas, 
who ran like hounds. Galloping through the green but thornless busk 
\ soon came in sight of a grand bull elephant, steaming along like a loco 
notive engine straight before me. Digging in the spurs, I was soon 
within twenty yards of him ; but the ground was so unfavorable, being 
lull of buffalo holes, that I could not pass him. In about a quarter of aft 
hour, after a careful chase over deep ruts and gullies concealed in high 
grass, I arrived at a level space, and shooting ahead, I gave him a shoul- 
der shot. I saw the wound in a good place, but the bull rushed along 
all the quicker, and again we came into bad ground that made it unwise 
to close. However, on the first opportunity I made a dash by him, and 
fired my left-hand barrel at full gallop. He slackened his speed, but I 
could not halt to reload, lest I should lose sight of him in the high grass 
and bush. 

Tlie Huge Beast Faces His Foes. 

Not a man was with me to hand a spare rifle. My cowardly fellows, 
although light-weights and well mounted, were nowhere ; the natives 
were outrun, as of course was Richarn, who, not being a good rider, had 
preferred to hunt on foot. In vain I shouted for the men ; and I followed 
the elephant with an empty rifle for about ten minutes, until he suddenly 
turned round, and stood facing me in an open spot in grass about nine 
or ten feet high. " Tetel " was a grand horse for elephants, not having 
the slightest fear, and standing fire like a rock, not even starting unde? 
the discharge of the heaviest charge of powder. I now commenced re- 
loading, when presently one of my men, Yaseen, came up upon my 
horse " Filfil." Taking a spare gun from him, I rode rapidly past the 
elephant, and suddenly reining up, I made a good shot exactly behind 
the bladebone. With a shrill scream the elephant charged down upon 
me like a steam-engine. In went the spurs. " Tetel " knew his work s 
and away he went over the ruts and gullies, the high dry grass whistling 
in my ears as we shot along at full speed, closely followed by the enraged 
bull for about two hundred yards. 

The elephant then halted ; and turning the horse's head, I again faced 
him and reloaded. Just at this moment I heard the rush of elephants 
advancing through the green bush upon the rising ground above the 
hollow formed by the open space of high withered grass in which we 
were standing facing each other. My man Yaseen had bolted with his 
fleet horse at the first charge, and was not to be seen. 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 59 

Presently, the rushing sound increased, and the heads of a closely- 
packed herd of about eighteen elephants showed above the low bushes, 
and they broke cover, bearing down directly upon me, both I and my 
horse being unobserved in the high grass. I never saw a more lovely 
sight; they were all bulls with immense tusks. Waiting until they were 
within twenty yards of me I galloped straight at them, giving a yell that 
turned them. Away they rushed up the hill, but at so great a pace, thaf 
upon the rutty and broken ground I could not overtake them, and they 
;ompletely distanced me. " Tetel," although a wonderfully steady 
hunter, was an uncommonly slow horse, but upon this day he appeared 
to be slower than usual, and I was not at the time aware that he was 
seriously ill. 

Cowardly Followers. 

By following three elephants separated from the herd I came up to 
them by a short cut, and singling out a fellow with enormous tusks, I 
rode straight at him. Finding himself overhauled, he charged me with 
such qickness and followed me up so far, that it was with the greatest 
difficulty that I cleared him. When he turned, I at once returned to the 
attack; but he entered a thick thorny jungle through which no horse 
could follow, and I failed to obtain a shot. 

I was looking for a path through which I could penetrate the bush, 
when I suddenly heard natives shouting in the direction where I had left 
the wounded bull. Galloping towards the spot, I met a few scattered 
natives ; among others, Adda. After shouting for some time, at length 
Yaseen appeared upon my horse " Filfil ; " he had fled as usual when he 
saw the troop of elephants advancing, and no one knows how far he had 
ridden before he thought it safe to look behind him. With two mounted 
gun-bearers and five others on foot I had been entirely deserted through 
the cowardice of my men. 

The elephant that I had left as dying, was gone. One of the Latookas 
had followed upon his tracks, and we heard this fellow shouting in the 
distance. I soon overtook him, and he led rapidly upon the track 
through thick bushes and high grass. In about a quarter of an hour we 
came up with the elephant ; he was standing in bush, facing us at abouf 
fifty yards' distance, and immediately perceiving us, he gave a saucy 
jerk with his head, and charged most determinedly. It was exceedingly 
difficult to escape, owing to the bushes which impeded the horse, while 
the elephant crushed them like cobwebs : however, by turning my horse 
sharp round a tree, I managed to evade him after a chase of about a hun« 
iked and fifty yards. 




60 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 61 

Disappearing in the jungle after his charge, I immediately followed 
him. The ground was hard, and so trodden by elephants that it was 
difficult to single out the track. There was no blood upon the ground, 
but only on the trees every now and then, where he had rubbed past 
them in his retreat. After nearly two hours passed in slowly following 
upon his path, we suddenly broke cover and saw him travelling very 
quietly through an extensive plain of high grass. The ground was gently 
Inclining upwards on either side the plain, but the level was a mass of 
deep, hardened ruts, over which no horse could gallop. Knowing my 
friend's character, I rode up the rising ground to reconnoitre : I found it 
tolerably clear of holes, and far superior to the rutty bottom. My two 
mounted gan-bearers had now joined me, and far from enjoying the 
sport, they were almost green with fright, when I ordered them to keep 
close to me and to advance. I wanted them to attract the elephant'? 
attention, so as to enable me to obtain a good shoulder shot. 
Elephant Screaming- Like a Steam Whistle. 

Riding k.ong the open plain, I at length arrived within at'out fifty 
yards of the bull wJien he slowly turned. Reining "Tetel " up, I imme- 
diately fired a stekdy shot at the shoulder. For a moment he fill upon 
his knees, but, recovering with wonderful quickness, he was in full charge 
upon me. Fortunately I had inspected my ground previous to the 
attack, and away I went up the inclination to my right, the spurs hard ftt 
work, and the elephant screaming with rage, gaining on me. 

My horse felt as though made of wood, and clumsily rolled along in a 
sort of cow-gallop ;— in vain I dug the spurs into his flanks, and urged 
him by rein and voice ; not an extra stride could I get out of him, and 
he reeled along as though thoroughly exhausted, plunging in and out oi 
the buffalo holes instead of jumping them. Hamed was on my horse 
" Mouse," who went three to " Tetel's " one, and instead of endeavoring 
to divert the elephant's attention, he shot ahead, and thought of nothing 
but getting out of the way. Yaseen, on " Filfil," had fled in another 
direction; thus I had the pleasure of being hunted down upon a sick an© 
disabled horse. 

I kept looking round, thinking that the elephant would give in :— - wc 
had been running for nearly half a mile, and the brute was overhauling 
me so fast that he was within ten or twelve yards of the horse's tail, with 
his trunk stretched out to catch him. Screaming like the whistle of ai» 
engine, he fortunately so frightened the horse that he went his best 
although badly, and I turned him suddenly down the hill and doubled 
back like a hare. The elephant turned un the hill, and entering th* 



62 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

jungle he relinquished the chase, when another hundred yards* run 
would have bagged me. 

In a life's experience in elephant-hunting, I never was hunted for such 
a distance. Great as were " Tetel's " good qualities for pluck and steadi- 
ness, he had exhibited such distress and want of speed., that I was sure 
he failed through some sudden malady. I immediately dismounted and 
the horse 1 id down, as I thought, to die. 

Whistlin £ loudly, I at length recalled Hamed, who had still continued 
his rapid flight without once looking back, although the elephant was 
out of sight. Yaseen was, of course, nowhere ; but after a quarter of an 
flour's shouting and whistling, he reappeared, and I mounted " Filfil," 
ordering " Tetel " to be led home. 

The sun had just sunk, and the two Latookas who now joined me 
refused to go farther on the tracks, saying, that the elephant must die 
during the night, and that they would find him in the morning. We 
were at least ten miles from camp ; I therefore fired a shot to collect my 
scattered men, and in about half an hour we all joined together, except 
the camels and their drivers, that we had left miles behind. 
Tales of Narrow Escapes. 

No one had tasted food since the previous day, nor had I drunk 
water, although the sun had been burning hot ; I now obtained some 
muddy rain water from a puddle, and we went towards home, where we 
arrived at half-past eight, everyone tired with the day's work. The 
camels came into camp about an hour later. 

My men were all now wonderfully brave ; each had some story of a 
narrow escape, and several declared that the elephants had run o /er 
them, but fortunately without putting their feet upon them. 

The news spread through the town that the elephant was killed ; and, 
long before daybreak on the following morning, masses of natives had 
started for the jungles, where they found him lying dead. Accordingly, 
they stole his magnificent tusks, which they carried to the town of Wak- 
kala, and confessed to taking all the flesh, but laid the blame of the ivory 
theft upon the Wakkala tribe 

There was no redress. The questions oi a right of game are ever pro* 
line of b id blood, and it was necessary in this instance to treat the mattet 
lightly. Accordingly, the natives requested me to go out and shoot 
them another elephant; on the condition of obtaining the meat, they 
were ready to join in any hunting expedition. 

The elephants in Central Africa have very superior tusks to those of 
Abyssinia. I had shot a considerable number in the Base country on 




63 



64 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

the frontier of Abyssinia, and few tusks were 30 lbs. weight ; those in 
the neighborhood of the White Nile average about 50 lbs. for each tusk 
of a bull elephant, while those of the females are about 10 lbs. I have 
seen monster tusks of 160 lbs., and one was in the possession of a trader 
that weighed 172 lbs. 

It is seldom that a pair of tusks are fac-simile. As a man uses the 
right hand in preference to the left, so the elephant works with a parties 
Sar tusk, which is termed by the traders '* el Hadam " (the servant) ; this 
is naturally more worn than the other, and is usually about ten pounds 
lighter ; frequently it is broken, as the elephant uses it as a lever to 
uproot trees and to tear up the roots of various bushes upon which be 
feeds. 

Elephants in "War. 

The African elephant is not only entirely different from the Indian 
species in his habits, but he also differs in form. 

There are three distinguishing peculiarities. The back of the African 
elephant is concave, that of the Indian is convex ; the ear of the African 
: s enormous, entirely covering the shoulder when thrown back, while the 
jar of the Indian variety is comparatively small. The head of the Afri- 
can has a convex front, the top of the skull sloping back at a rapid incli- 
nation, while the head of the Indian elephant exposes a flat surface a 
little above the trunk. The average size of the African elephant is larger 
than those of Ceylon, although I have occasionally shot monster rogues 
in the latter country, equal to anything that I have seen in Africa. 

The English forces in India were not slow in discovering the practical 
aid to be derived from this enormous beast. Its vast strength, its un- 
common intelligence, its spirit of obedience, its ability to swim the deep- 
est rivers and push through the thickest jungles, rendered it available for 
service where no other animal would have answered the purpose. 

Frequently, in India, guns have been transported on the backs of ele- 
phants, and have thus been carried where no gun-carriage could have 
made its way on account of the obstructions to travel. The cannon ig 
strapped on the back of the huge beast, and might even be fired from 
that high perch, except for the difficulty the gunner finds in taking sure 
aim. 

The Explorers at Ohbo. 

, It became dangerous for Baker to remain longer in the country, in 
consequence of the abominable conduct of the Turks in his party, which 
so irritated the natives that an attack from them was daily expected. 
They were therefore compelled to return to Obbo, the chief of which, old 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 65 

Katchiba, had before received them in a friendly mannei. Here, in con- 
sequence of their exposure to wet, Mr. and Mrs. Baker were attacked 
with fever. By this time all their baggage animals as well as their horses 
had died. 

Katchiba laid claim to intercourse with the unseen world, and to 
authority over the elements ; rain and drought, calm and tempest, being 
supposed by his subjects to be equally under his command. Sometimes 
If the country had been afflicted with drought beyond the usual time oi 
rain, Katchiba would assemble his people, and deliver a long harangue 
inveighing against their evil doings, which had kept off the rain. These 
evil doings, on being analyzed, generally proved to be little more than a 
want of liberality toward himself. He explained to them that he sin- 
cerely regretted their conduct, which " has compelled him to afflict them 
with unfavorable weather, but that it is their own fault. If they are so 
greedy and so stingy that they will not supply him properly, how can 
they expect him to think of their interests ? No goats, no rain ; that's 
our contract, my friends," says Katchiba. " Do as you like: /can wait; 
I hope you can." Should his people complain of too much rain, ha 
threatens to pour storms and lightning upon them forever, unless they 
bring him so many baskets of corn. Thus he holds his sway. 

Crafty Old Chief. 

Nv» man would think of starting on a journey without the blessing of 
.he old chief, and a peculiar " hocus-pocus " is considered necessary from 
the magic hands of Katchiba, that shall charm the traveller, and preserve 
him from all danger of wild animals upon the road. In case of sickness 
he is called in, not as M. D. in our acceptation, but as Doctor of Magic, 
and he charms both the hut and patient against death, with the fluctuat- 
ing results that must attend professionals, even in sorcery. His subjects 
have the most thorough confidence in his power; and so great is his 
reputation, that distant tribes frequently consult him, and beg his assist- 
ance as a magician. In this manner does old Katchiba hold his sway 
over his savage but credulous people ; and so long has he imposed upon 
the public, that I believe he has at length imposed upon himself, and that 
lie really believes that he has the power of sorcery, notwithstanding 
repeated failures. 

Once, while Baker was in the country, Katchiba, like other rain* 
makers, fell into a dilemma. There had been no rain for a long time, 
and the people had become so angry at the continued drought, that they 
assembled round his house, blowing horns, and shouting execrations 
against their chief, because he had not sent them a shower which wfiuld 
W.A.— 5 



66 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

allow them to sow their seed. True to his policy, the crafty old man 
made light of their threats, telling them that they might kill him if they 
liked, but that, if they did so, no more rain would ever fall. Rain in the 
country was the necessary result of goats and provisions given to the 
chief, and, as soon as he got the proper fees, the rain should come. The 
rest of the story is so good, that it must be told in the author's own 
Words. 

"' With all this bluster," says Baker, " I saw that old Katchiba was m 
I great dilemma, and that he would give anything for a shower, but that 
he did not know how to get out of the scrape. It was a common freak 
of the tribes to sacrifice their rain-maker, should he be unsuccessful. He 
suddenly altered his tone, and asked, ' Have you any rain in your coun- 
try ? ' I replied that we had every now and then. ' How do you bring 
it? Are you a rain-maker ? ' I told him that no one believed in rain- 
makers in our country, but that we knew how to bottle lightning (mean- 
ing electricity). ' I don't keep mine in bottles, but I have a house full ol 
thunder and lightning,' he most coolly replied; ' but if you can bottle 
lightning, you must understand rain-making. What do you think of the 

Weather to-day ? ' 

Trouble to Get Rain. 

" I immediately saw the drift of the cunning old Katchiba ; he wanted 
professional advice. I replied that he must know all about it, as he was 
regular rain-maker. 'Of course I do,' he answered; 'but I want to 
know what you think of it' 'Well,' I said, ' I don't think we shall ha\^ 
any steady rain, but I think we may have a heavy shower in about four 
days' (I said this, as I had observed fleecy clouds gathering daily in the 
afternoon). ' Just my opinion,' said Katchiba, delighted. ' In four, or 
perhaps in five, days I intend to give them one shower — just one shower; 
yes, I'll just step down to them, and tell the rascals that if they will give 
me some goats by this evening, and some corn by to-morrow morning, i 
will give them in four or five days just one shower/ 

" To give effect to his declaration, he gave several toots on his magic 
whistle. ' Do you use whistles in your country ? * inquired Katchiba. ] 
only replied by giving so shrill and deafening a whistle on my fingers^ 
that Katchiba stopped his ears, and, relapsing into a smile of admiration, 
he took a glance at the sky from the doorway, to see if any effect had 
been produced. ' Whistle again,' he said ; and once more I performed 
like the whistle of a locomotive. ' That will do ; we shall have it,' saii 
the cunning old rain-maker ; and, proud of having so knowingly obtained 
"counsel's opinion' in his case, he toddled off to hi? impatient subjects 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 67 

In a few days a sudden storm of rain and violent thunder added to 
Katchiba's renown, and after the shower horns were blowing and nogaras 
beating in honor of their chief. Between ourselves, my whistle was 
considered infallible." 

When his guests were lying ill in their huts, struck down with the 
fever which is prevalent in hot and moist climates such as that of Obbo, 
Katchiba came to visit them in his character of magician, and performed 
a curious ceremony. He took a small leafy branch, filled his mouth 
with water, and squirted it on the branch, which was then waved about 
the hut, and lastly stuck over the door. He assured his sick guests that 
their recovery was now certain ; and, as they did recover, his opinion of 
his magical powers was doubtless confirmed. 

After their recovery they paid a visit to the chief, by his special desire, 
and were entertained in princely style. 

Spirited Dance of Obbos. 

Among other things the natives held a great consultation, and ended 
with a war-dance ; they were all painted in various patterns, with red 
ochre and white pipe-clay ; their heads adorned with very tasteful orna- 
ments of cowrie-shells, surmounted by plumes of ostrich feathers, which 
drooped over the back of the neck. After the dance, the old chief 
addressed them in a long and vehement speech ; he was followed by 
several other speakers, all of whom were remarkably fluent, and 
expressed their exceeding gratification on account of the visit of the 
curious foreigners. 

Mr. Baker purchased from the Turks some good riding oxen for him- 
self and his wife, and, having placed his goods under the care of old 
Katchiba and two of his own men, he set out in January, 1864, with a 
small number of attendants, to proceed to Karuma, the northern end of 
Kamrasi's territory, which Speke and Grant had visited. 

The Shooa country, through which he passed, is very beautiful, con- 
sisting of mountains covered with fine forests trees, and picturesquely 
dotted over with villages. Several portions presented the appearance o£ 
a park watered by numerous rivulets and ornamented with fine timber, 
while it was interspersed with rocks of granite, which at a distance looked 
like ruined castles. Here they found an abundance of food : fowls, 
butter, and goats were brought for sale. 

They had obtained the services of a slave woman called Bacheeta, 
belonging to Unyoro, and who, having learned Arabic, was likely to 
prove useful as an interpreter and guide. She, however, had no desire 
to return to her own country, and endeavored to mislead them, by taking 




68 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 69 

them to the country of Rionga, an enemy of Kamrasi. Fortunately 
Mr. Baker detected her treachery, and he and his Turkish allies reached 
the Karuma Falls, close to the village of Atada. 

A number of Kamrasi's people soon crossed the river to within parley- 
ing distance, when Bacheeta, as directed, explained that Speke's brother 
had arrived to pay Kamrasi a visit, and had brought him valuable 
presents. Kamrasi's people, however, showed considerable suspicion on 
seeing so many people, till Baker appeared dressed in a suit similar to 
that worn by Speke, when they at once exhibited their welcome, by 
dancing and gesticulating with their lances and shields in the most ex- 
travagant manner. The party, however, were not allowed to cross till 
permission was obtained from Kamrasi. 

Trying- to Trade Wives. 

That very cautious and cowardly monarch sent his brother, who pre- 
tended to be Kamrasi himself, and for some time Baker was deceived, 
fully believing that he was negotiating with the king. Notwithstanding 
his regal pretensions, he very nearly got knocked down, on proposing that 
he and his guest should exchange wives, and even Bacheeta, understand' 
ing the insult which had been offered, fiercely abused the supposed king 

Baker's Obbo porters had before this deserted him, and he was now 
dependent on Kamrasi for others to supply their places. The king, 
however, ultimately became more friendly, and gave orders to his people 
to assist the stranger, granting him also permission to proceed westward 
to the lake he was so anxious to visit. 

A few women having been supplied to carry his luggage, he and his 
wife, with their small party of attendants, at length set out. 

Says Baker : The country was a vast flat of grass land interspersed 
with small villages and patches of sweet potatoes ; these were very in- 
ferior, owing to the want of drainage. For about two miles we continued 
on the bank of the Kafoor river ; the women who carried the luggage 
were straggling in disorder, and my few men were much scattered in 
their endeavors to collect them. We approached a considerable village ; 
but just as we were nearing it, out rushed about six hundred men with 
lances and shields, screaming and yelling like so many demons. For the 
oioment, I thought it was an attack, but almost immediately I noticed 
that women and children were mingled with the men. My men nad not 
laken so cool a view of the excited throng that was now approaching us 
at full speed, brandishing their spears, and engaging with each other in 
mock combat. " There's a fight! there's a fight!" my men exclaimed; 
" we are attacked ! fire at them, Hawaga" 



70 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



However, in a few seconds, I persuaded them that it was a mere parade, 
and that there was no danger. With a rush, like a cloud of locusts, the na* 




tives closed around us, dancing, gesticulating, and yelling before us, 
feinting to attack us with spears and shields, then engaging in sham fights 
frith e^ch other, and behavinac like so many madmen. A very tall chief 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. 71 

accompanied them ; and one of their men was suddenly knocked down, 
and attacked by the crowd witk sticks and lances, and lay on the ground 
covered with blood : what his o'ffence had been I did not hear. The en- 
tire crowd were most grotesquely got up, being dressed in either leopard 
or white monkey skins, with cows' tails strapped on behind, and ante- 
lopes' horns fitted upon some of their heads, and carrying large shields 
and savage-looking spears. 

Altogether, I never saw a more unearthly set of creatures ; they wer@ 
perfect illustrations of my childish ideas of devils — horns, tails, and all $ 
sxcepting the hoofs ; they were our escort ! furnished by Kamrasi to ac« 
company us to the lake. Fortunately for all parties the Turks were not 
with us on that occasion, or the satanic escort would certainly have been 
received with a volley when they so rashly advanced to compliment us b" 
their absurd performances. 

We marched till 7 p.m. over flat, uninteresting country, and then halted 
&t a miserable village which the people had deserted, as they expected our 
arrival. The following morning I found much difficulty in getting our 
escort together, as they had been foraging throughout the neighborhood ; 
these " devil's own " were a portion of Kamrasi's troops, who considered 
themselves entitled to plunder ad libitum throughout the march ; how- 
ever, after some delay, they collected, and their tall chief approached me s 
and begged that a gun might be fired as a curiosity. The escort had 
crowded around us, and as the boy Saat was close to me, I ordered him 
to fire his gun. This was Saat's greatest delight, and bang went one bar- 
rel unexpectedly close to the tall chief's ear. The effect was charming^ 
The tall chief, thinking himself injured, clasped his head with both hands, 
$nd bolted through the crowd, which, struck with a sudden panic, rushed 
away in all directions, the " devil's own " tumbling over each other, and 
utterly scattered by the second barrel which Saat exultingly fired in 
derision as Kamrasi's warlike regiment dissolved before a sound. 
Serious Illness of Mrs. Baker. 

Mr. Baker, however, soon got rid of his satanic escort. Poor Mrs 
Baker was naturally alarmed, fearing that it was the intention of the king 
to waylay them and perhaps carry her off. 

Soon after this, while crossing the Kafue river, the heat being exces° 
sive, what was Mr. Baker's horror to see his wife sink from her ox as 
though shot dead. He, with his attendants, carried her through the 
yielding vegetation, up to their waists in water, above which they could 
just keep her head, till they reached the banks. He then laid her under 
a tree, and new discovered that she had received a sunstroke. As there 




72 



IN A WILD COUNTRY. T3 

«ras nothing to c*t on the spot, it was absolutely necessary to move on 
A litter was procured, on which Mrs. BaKer was carried, her husband 
mechanically following by its side. For seven days continuously he thus 
proceeded on his journey. Her eyes at length opened, but, to his 
infinite grief, he found that she was attacked by brain fever. 

One evening they reached a village. She was in violent convulsions, 
He believed all was over, and, while he sank down insensible by hej 
side, his men went out to seek for a spot to dig her grave. On awaken 
!ng, all hope having abandoned him, as he gazed at her countenance hei 
chest gently heaved; she was asleep. When at a sudden noise she 
opened her eyes, they were calm and clear ; she was saved. 

Having rested for a couple of days, they continued their course, Mrs. 
Baker being carried on her litter. At length they reached the village of 
Parkani. To his joy, as he gazed at some lofty mountains, he was told 
that they formed the western side of the Luta Nzige, and that the lake 
was actually within a march of the village. Their guide announced that 
if they started early in the morning, they might wash in the lakf* by 
noon. That night Baker hardly slept. 

Beautiful L-andscape. 

The following morning, the 14th of March, starting before sunrise, js\ 
ox-back, he and his wife, with their attendants, following his guide, in a 
few hours reached a hill from the summit of which " he beheld beneath 
him a grand expanse of water, a boundless sea horizon on the south and 
southwest, glittering in the noonday sun, while on the west, at fifty or 
sixty miles distant, blue mountains rose from the bosom of the lake to a 
height of about seven thousand feet above its level." 

Hence they descended on foot, supported by stout bamboos, for two 
hours, to the white pebbly beach on which the waves of the lake were 
rolling. Baker, in the enthusiasm of the moment, rushed into the lake, 
and, thristy with heat and fatigue, with a heart full of gratitude, drank 
deeply from what he supposed to be one of the sources of the Nile, not 
dreaming of the wonderful discoveries Livingstone was making at that 
very time many degrees to the southward. He now bestowed upon this 
lake the name of the Albert Nyanza. 

. The dwellers on the borders of the lake are expert fishermen, and in one 
of their villages, named Vakovia, the travellers now established themselves. 

His followers, two of whom had seen the sea at Alexandria, and who 
believed that they should never reach the lake, were astonished at its 
appearance, unhesitatingly declaring that though it was not salt, it musf 
be the sea- 



74 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

Salt, however, is the chief product of the country, numerous salt-pits 
existing in the neighborhood, and in its manufacture the inhabitants are 
chiefly employed. Vakovia is a miserable place, and, in consequence oi 
its damp and hot position, the whole party suffered from fever. 

Travelling' in Canoes. 

Here they were detained eight days waiting for canoes, which Kamrasf 
sad ordered his people to supply. At length several were brought 
out they were merely hollowed-out trunks of trees, the largest being 
:hirty-two feet long. Baker selected another, twenty-six feet long, but 
wider and deeper, for himself and his wife and their personal attendants, 
while the luggage and the remainder of the people embarked in the 
former. He raised the sides of the canoe, and fitted up a cabin for his 
wife, which was both rain and sun-proof. 

Having purchased some provisions, he started on a voyage to survey 
the lake. Vakovia is about a third of the way from the northern end of 
the lake. His time would not allow him to proceed further south. He 
directed his course northward, towards the part out of which the Nile 
was supposed to flow. 

The difficulties of the journey were not yet over. The first day's voy- 
age was delightful, the lake calm, the scenery lovely. At times the 
mountains on the west coast were not discernible, and the lake appeared 
of indefinite width. Sometimes they passed directly under precipitoas 
cliffs of fifteen hundred feet in height, rising abruptly out of the water, 
while from the deep clefts in the rocks evergreens of every tint appeared, 
and wherever a rivulet burst forth it was shaded by the graceful Eind 
feathery wild date. Numbers of hippopotami were sporting in the 
water, and crocodiles were numerous on every sandy beach. 

Storm on the Lake. 

Next night, however, the boatmen deserted, but, not to be defeated, 
Baker induced his own people to take to the paddles. He fitted a paddle 
to his own boat, to act as a rudder, but the men in the larger boar 
neglected to do as he directed them. 

A tremendous storm of rain came down while he was at work His 
own canoe, however, being ready, he started. He was about to cross 
from one headland to another, when he saw the larger canoe spinning 
round and round, the crew having no notion of guiding her. Fortu- 
nately, it was calm, and, on reaching the shore, he induced several natives 
to serve as his crew, while others went off in their own boats to assist 
the large canoe. 

He now commenced crossing a deep bay, fully four miles wide. He 



mm ^ 

(liilli '^ ^"""^ 




IttfflMk' .www ! , : 
'V |l, i' ti ' 

'iiiii' , .. :«,: 



76 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

had gained the centre "when a tremendous storm came on, and enormous 

waves rolled in over the lake. The canoe labored heavity and occasion- 
ally shipped water, which was quickly bailed out. Had this not been 
done, the canoe would inevitably have been swamped. Down came the 
rain in torrents, while the wind swept over the surface with terrific force, 
nothing being discernible except the high cliffs looming in the distance 
The boatmen paddled energetically, and at last a beach was seen ahead. 
A. wave struck the canoe washing over her. Just then the men jumped, 
ouc, and though they were rolled over, they succeeded in hauling the 

boat up the beach. 

Delays and Difficulties. 

The shore of the lake, as they paddled along it, was thinly inhabited, 
and the people very inhospitable, till they reached the town of Eppigoya 
Even here the inhabitants refused to sell any of their goats, though they 
willingly parted with fowls at a small price. At each village the voy- 
agers changed their boatmen, none being willing to go beyond the 
village next them. This was provoking, as delays constantly occurred. 

Such delays, however, are incident to all travelling in Africa. One of 
the great advantages of old countries is that there are means of transpor- 
tation which never fail. Possibly once in a great while the traveller is 
detained by floods, by washouts, by railway accidents, or from some 
other cause, yet considering the number of railways and the multitudes 
of people who journey from one place to another, it is surprising that 
there are so few delays and accidents. This, however, does not apply to 
Africa. There a journey of ten or fifteen miles a day for a caravan is 
considered very good progress, and we have already seen that some oi 
the explorers were detained in various localities for weeks, months, and, 
in one or two instances, for even years. Mr. and Mrs. Bakei bore theii 
hindrances with becoming fortitude and downright Anglo-Saxon plv-ck 



CHAPTER iv. 
THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 

Wilderness of Vegetation — Hearty Welcome From a Chief and Natives — " Blint 

Leading the Blind "—Voyage Up the Victoria Nile— Severe Attack of Fever~ 
Sufferings of Lady Baker— A Remarkable River — End of Canoe Voyage- Begin 
ning of a Toilsome March — Rumors Concerning a Great Waterfall — Thunder oi 
the Cataract — Rocky Cliffs and Precipitous Banks— Magnificent View — Splendid 
Fall of Snow-white Water — Murchison Falls — The Niagara of the Tropics- -Hip- 
popotamus Charges the Canoe — Startling Shock — Scrawny Travelling Beasts- 
Curious Refreshments — Arrival at a Chief's Island — Crossing Ravines and Tor- 
rents — Sickness on the March — Taking Shelter in a Wretched Hut — On the Verge 
of Starvation — Baker Arrayed in Highland Costume — Stirring Events — Meeting 
Between a Slave and Her Former Mistress — Adventurous Journey — Pushing on 
for Shooa — Hunting Game for Dinner — Travellers Hungry as Wolves — Frolic- 
some Reception of the Explorers — March Through the Bari Country — Arrows 
Whizzfcig Overhead — Savage Fatally Wounded — Night in a Hostile Country-^ 
Lively Skirmish with the Natives —Arrival at Gondokoro — Excitement and 
Hurrahs — Terrible Ravages of the Plague — An Arab Gets His Deserts— Sir 
Samuel and Lady Baker Arrive at Cairo — Baker Receives the Award of the 
Victoria Gold Medal — The Hero Again in Africa. 

'T length the explorers reached Magungo, situated inside an 

immense bed of reeds, at the top of a hill, above? the mouth of a 

large river, Passing up a channel amidst a perfect, wilderness of 

vegetation, they reached the shore below the town. Here they 

were met by their guide, who had brought their riding oxen from Vako 

fia, and reported them all well. 

The chief of Magungo and a large number of natives were also on the 
shore waiting for them, and brought them down a plentiful supply oi 
goats, fowls, eggs, and fresh butter. Proceeding on foot to the height on 
which Magungo stands, they thence enjoyed a magnificent view, not only 
over the lake, but to the north, towards the point where its waters flow 
Into the Nile. 

Baker's great desire was to descend the Nile in canoes, from its exh 

from the lake to the cataracts in the Madi country, and thence to march 

direct, with only guns and ammunition, to Gondokoro. This plan he 

found impossible to carry out. 

We will let Baker continue the thrilling narrative in his own words : 

The boats being ready, we took leave of the chief, leaving him an 

Sceptable present of beads, and we descended the hill to the river, thank 

f7 



78 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

ful at having so far successfully terminated the expedition as to have 
traced the lake to that important point, Magungo, which had been our 
clue to the discovery even so far away in time and place as the 
distant country of Latooka. We were both very weak and ill, and my 
knees trembled beneath me as I walked down the easy descent. I, in 
my enervated state, endeavoring to assist my wife, we were the " blind 
leading the blind ;" but had life closed on that day we could have died 
most happily, for the hard fight through sickness and misery had ended 
In victory ; and,, although I looked to home as a paradise never to be 
regained, I could have lairt down to sleep in contentment on this spot, 
with the consolation that, if the body had been vanquished, we died with 
the prize in our grasp. 

Voyage Up the Victoria Nile. 

On arrival at the canoes we found everything in readiness, and the 
boatmen already in their places. A crowd of natives pushed us over the 
shallows, and once in deep water we passed through a broad canal which 
led us into the open channel without the labor of towing through th& 
narrow inlet by which we had arrived. Once in the broad channel of 
dead water we steered due east, and made rapid way until the evening. 
The river as it now appeared, although devoid of current, was an average, 
of about 500 yards in width. 

Before we halted for the night I was subjected to a most severe attack 
of fever, and upon the boat reaching a certain spot I was carried on a 
litter, perfectly unconscious, to a village, attended carefully by my poor 
sick wife, who, herself half dead, followed me on foot through the 
marshes in pitch darkness, and watched over me until the morning. At 
daybreak I was too weak to stand, and we were both carried down to 
the canoes, and, crawling helplessly within our grass awning, we lay down 
like logs while the canoes continued their voyage. Many of our men 
were also suffering from fever. The malaria of the dense masses of float- 
ing vegetation was most poisonous; and, upon looking back to the 
:anoe that followed our wake, I observed all my men sitting crouched 
together sick and dispirited, looking like departed spirits being ferried 
across the melancholy Styx. 

The river now contracted rapidly to about two hundred and fifty yard? 
in width about ten miles from Magungo. We had left the vast flats oi 
rush banks, and entered a channel between high ground, forming steep 
forest- covered hills, about 200 feet on either side, north and south : never- 
theless there was no perceptible stream, although there was no doubt 
thpt we were actually in the channel of a river. The water was cleai and 




MURCHISON FALLS — THE MAGAKA OF AFRICA. 



79 



80 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

exceedingly deep. In the evening we halted, and slept on a mud bank 
close to the water. The grass in the forest was very high and rank : thus 
we were glad to find an open space for a bivouac, although a nest of 
mosquitoes and malaria. 

Off in the Early Morning-. 

On waking the next morning, I observed that a thick fog covered the 
lurface of the river ; and as I lay upon my back, I amused myself before 
X woke my men by watching the fog slowly lifting from the river. While 
fhus employed I was struck by the fact, that the little green water-plants ; 
like floating cabbages, were certainly, although very slowly, moving to 
the west. I immediately jumped up and watched them most attentively; 
there was no doubt about it ; they were travelling towards the Albert 
Lake. We were now about eighteen miles in a direct line from Magun- 
go, and there was a current in the river, which, however slight, was never* 
theless perceptible. 

Our toilette did not take long to arrange, as we had thrown ourselves 
down at night with our clothes on ; accordingly we entered the canoe at 
once, and gave the order to start. 

The woman Bacheeta knew the country, as she had formerly been to 
Magungo when in the service of Sali, who had been subsequently mur- 
dered by Kamrasi ; she now informed me that we should terminate our 
canoe voyage on that day, as we should arrive at the great waterfall of 
which she had often spoken. As we proceeded, the river gradually nar- 
rowed to about 1 80 yards, and when the paddles ceased working we 
could distinctly hear the roar of water. I had heard this on waking in 
the morning, but at the time I had imagined it to proceed from distant 
thunder. 

Thunder of the Cataract. 

By ten o'clock the current had so increased as we proceeded, that it 
was distinctly perceptible, although weak. The roar of the waterfall was 
extremely loud, and after sharp pulling for a couple of hours, during 
which time the stream increased, we arrived at a few deserted fishing- 
huts, at a point where the river made a slight turn. I never saw such aK 
extraordinary show of crocodiles as were exposed on every sandbank on 
the sides of the river; they lay like logs of timber close together, and 
upon one bank we counted twenty-seven, of large size ; every basking 
place was crowded in a similar manner. From the time we had fairly 
entered the river, it had been confined by heights somewhat precipitous 
on either side, rising to about 180 feet. At this point the cliffs were 
still higher, and exceedingly abrupt From the roar of the water, I v/as 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 81 

sure that the fall would be in sight if we turned the corner at the bend of 
the river ; accordingly I ordered the boatmen to row as far as they could: 
to this they at first objected, as they wished to stop at the deserted fish- 
ing village, which they explained was to be the limit of the journey, fur- 
ther progress being impossible. 

A Magnificent View. 
/ However, I explained that I merely wished to see the fall, and they 
'rowed immediately up the stream, which was now strong against us. 
Upon rounding the corner, a magnificent sight burst suddenly upon us. 
On either side of the river were beautifully wooded cliffs rising abruptly 
to a height of about 300 feet; rocks were jutting out from the intensely 
green foliage : and rushing through a gap that cleft the rock exactly be- 
fore us, the river, contracted from a grand stream, was pent up in a nar- 
row gorge of scarcely fifty yards in width ; roaring furiously through the 
rock-bound pass, it plunged in one leap of about 120 feet perpendicular 
into a dark abyss below. 

The fall of water was snow-white, which had a superb effect as it con- 
trasted with the dark cliffs that walled the river, while the graceful 
palms of the Tropics and wild plantains perfected the beauty of the view. 
This was the greatest waterfall of the Nile, and, in honor of the distil 
guished President of the Royal Geographical Society, I named it the 
Murchison Falls, as the most important object throughout the entire 
course of the river. 

The boatmen, having been promised a present of beads to induce them 
to approach the fall as close as possible, succeeded in bringing the canoe 
within about 300 yards of the base, but the power of the current and the 
whirpools in the river rendered it impossible to proceed farther. There 
was a sand-bank on our left which was literally covered with crocodiles 
lying parallel to each other like trunks of trees prepared for shipment; 
they had no fear of the canoe until we approached within about twenty 
yards of them, when they slowly crept into the water ; all excepting one, 
an immense fellow who lazily lagged behind, and immediately dropped 
dead as a bullet struck him in the brain. 

Startling Shock. 

So alarmed were the boatmen at the unexpected report of the rifle that 
they immediately dropped into the body of the canoe, one of them losing 
his paddle. Nothing would induce them to attend to the boat, as I had 
fired a second shot at the crocodile as a " quietus," and the natives did 
not know how often the alarming noise would be repeated. Accordingly 
we were at the mercy of the ppwerful stream, and the canoe was whisked 
w. A.— 6 



82 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



i t>tfrtd by the eddy ; hardly had we realized our peril when a tremendous 
commotion took place, and in an instant a great bull hippopotamus 
charged the canoe, and with a severe shock striking the bottom he lifted 
us half out of the water. The natives in the party positively yelled with 
terror, not knowing whether the shock was in any way connected with 
(lie dreaded report of the rifle ; the black women screamed ; and w© 
Degan to make use of our rifles. 

The hippopotamus, proud of having disturbed us, but doubtless think- 
ing us rather hard of texture, raised his head to take a last view of his 
snemy, and then sank rapidly. Hippopotamus heads of enormous size 




FEROCIOUS ATTACK BY A HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

•vere on all sides, appearing and vanishing rapidly as they rose to survey 
us ; at one time we counted eighteen upon the surface. Having recovered 
the lost paddle, I prevailed upon the boatmen to keep the canoe steady 
9rhile I made a sketch of the Murchison Falls, which being completed!. 
We drifted rapidly down to the landing-place at the deserted fishing-village s 
fed bade adieu to the navigation of the lake and river of Central Africa. 
,' The few huts that existed in this spot were mere ruins. Clouds had 
■j>;©Ftended rain, and down it came, as it usually did once in every twenty- 
four hours. However, that passed away by the next morning, and the 
day broke, discovering us about as wet and wretched as we were r: xuS' 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 83 

fcomed to be. I now started off four of my men with the boatmen and 
the interpreter Bacheeta to the nearest village, to inquire whether our 
guide, Rabonga, had arrived with our riding oxen, as our future travel- 
ling was to be on land, and the limit of our navigation must have been 
well known to him. After some hours the people returned, minus the 
boatmen, with a message from the head-man of a village they had visited, 
!that the oxen were there, but not the guide Rabonga, who had remained 
at Magungo, but that the animals should be brought to us that evening, 
together with porters to convey the luggage. 

In the evening a number of people arrived, bringing some plantain 
cider and plantains as a present from the head-man ; and promising that, 
iipon the following morning, we should be conducted to his village. 

The next day we started, but not until the afternoon, as we had to 
await the arrival of the head-man, who was to escort us. Our oxen were 
brought, and if we looked wretched, the anamals were a match. They 
had been bitten by the fly, thousands of which were at this spot. Their 
coats were staring, ears drooping, noses running, and heads hanging 
down ; all the symptoms of fly-bite, together with extreme looseness of 
the bowels. I saw that it was all up with our animals. 

Weak as I was myself, I was obliged to walk, as my ox could not carry 
(ae up the steep inclination, and I toiled languidly to the summit of the 
cliff. It poured with rain. Upon arrival at the summit we were in pre- 
cisely the same park-like land that characterizes Chopi and Unyoro, but 
the grass was about seven feet high ; and from the constant rain, and the 
extreme fertility of the soil, the country was choked with vegetation. 
Arrival at a Chief's Island. 

We were now above the Murchison Falls, and we heard the roaring of 
the water beneath us to our left. We continued our route parallel to the 
river above the Falls, stearing east ; and a little before evening we arrived 
at a small village belonging to the head-man who accompanied us. I was 
chilled and wet ; my wife had fortunately been carried in her litter, which 
was protected by a hide roofing. Feverish and exhausted, I procured 
from the natives some good acid plums, and refreshed by these I was 
able to boil my thermometer and take the altitude. 

On the following morning we started, the route, as before, parallel to 
Khe river, and so close that the roar of the rapids was extremely loud. 
The river flowed in a deep ravine upon our left. We continued for a 
day's march along the Somerset, crossing many ravines and torrents, 
until we turned suddenly down to the left, and arriving at the bank, we 
were to be transported to an island called Patooan, that was the residence 



84 WONDERS OF THE TKOPrCS. 

of a chie/. It was about an hour after sunset, and being dark, )try wding 
ox, who was being driven as too weak to carry me, f ?11 into an elephant 
pitfall. After much hallooing, a canoe was brougk.: from the island, 
which was not more than fifty yards from the mainland, and we were 
ferried across. We were both very ill with a sudden attack of fever° 
and my wife, not being able to stand, was, on arrival on the island, car 
ried in a litter I knew not whither, escorted by some of my men, while 1 
lay down on the wet ground quite exhausted with the annihilating dis- 
ease. At length the remainder of my men crossed over, and those who 
had carried my wife to the village returning with firebrands, I managed tc 
creep after them with the aid of a long stick, upon which I rested ~*fcs 
both hands. 

In a Wretched Hut for Shelter. 

After a walk, through a forest of high trees, for about a quarter of s. 
mile, I arrived at a village where I was shown a wretched hut> the stars 
being visible through the roof. In this my wife lay dreadfully ill, and J 
fell down upon some straw. About an hour later, a violent thunderstorm 
broke over us, and our hut was perfectly flooded , we, being far too ill 
and helpless to move from our positions, remained dripping wet and shiv- 
ering with fever until the morning. Our servants and people had, like 
all natives, made themselves much more comfortable than their employ- 
ers ; nor did they attempt to interfere with our misery in any way until 
summoned to appear at sunrise. 

The foregoing is Baker's narrative. Within a few days the boats in 
which they had hoped to return down the Nile would leave Gondokoro. 
It was, therefore, of the greatest importance that they should set out at 
once, and take a direct route through the Shooa country. 

The natives, not to be tempted even by bribes, positively refused to 
cany them. Their own men were also ill, and there was % great scarcity 
of provisions. War, indeed, was going on in the country to the east, 
Patooan being in the hands of Kamrasi's enemies. It was on this 
account that no Unyoro porters could be found. 

On the Verge of Starvation. 

They might have starved had not an underground granary of seed 
been discovered, by the means of Bacheeta, in one of the villages burned 
down by the enemy. This, with several varieties of wild plants, enabled 
them to support existence. The last of their oxen, after lingering for 
some time, lay down to die, affording the men a supply of beef, and Saati 
and Bacheeta occasionally obtained a fowl from one of the neighboring 
islands, which they visited in a canoe. 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 85 

At length both Mr. and Mrs. Baker fully believed that their last hour 
was come, and he wrote various instructions in his journal, directing his 
head-man to deliver his maps and observations to the British Consul at 
Khartoum. 

The object, it appeared, of Kamrasi in thus leaving them, was tc 
obtain their assistance against his enemies, and at length their guide, 
Rehonga, made his appearance, having been ordered to carry them to 
Kamrasi's camp. The journey was performed, in spite of their weak 
state ; and on their arrival they found ten of the Turks left as hostages 
with Kamrasi by Ibrahim, who had returned to Gondokoro. The Turks 
received them with respect and manifestations of delight and wonder at 
their having performed so difficult a journey. A hut was built for their 
reception, and an ox, killed by the Turks, was prepared as a feast for their 
people. 

The next day the king announced his readiness to receive the traveller, 
who, attiring himself in a Highland costume, was carried on the shoulders 
of a number of men into the presence of the monarch. The king 
informed him that he had made arrangements for his remaining at 
Kisoona. 

Stirring- Events. 

As now all hope of reaching Gondokoro in time for the boats had 
gone, Mr. Baker, yielding to necessity, prepared to make himself at 
home. He had a comfortable hut built, surrounded by a court-yard 
with an open shed in which he and his wife could spend the hot hours 
of the day. Kamrasi sent him a cow which gave an abundance of milk, 
also amply supplying him with food. 

Here the travellers were compelled to spend many months. Their 
stay was cut short, in consequence of the invasion of the country by 
Fowooka's people, accompanied by a large band of Turks under the 
trader Debono. Kamrasi proposed at once taking to flight ; but Baker 
promised to hoist the flag of England, and to place the country under 
British protection. He then sent a message to Mahomet, Debono's 
guide, warning him that should a shot be fired by any of his people, he 
would be hung, and ordering them at once to quit the country ; inform- 
ing them, besides, that he had already promised all the ivory to Ibrahim 
so that, contrary to the rules of the traders, they were trespassing in the 
territory. 

This letter had its due effect. Mahomet deserted his allies, who were 
immediately attacked by Kamrasi's troops, and cut to pieces, while the 
women and children were brought away as captives. Among them, 



86 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

Becheeta, who had once been a slave *n the country, recognized her 
former mistress, who had been captured with the wives and daughters of 
their chief, Rionga. 

After this Ibrahim returned, bringing a variety of presents for Kam- 
rasi, which, in addition to the defeat of his enemies, put him in excellent 
humor. Mr. Baker was able to save the life of an old chief, Kalloe, who 
had been captured; but some days afterwards the treacherous Kamrasii 
shot him with his own hand. 

Adventurous March. 

At length the Turkish traders, having collected a large supply ot 
ivory, were ready to return to Shooa; and Mr. Baker, thankful to leave 
the territory of the brutal Kamrasi, took his leave, and commenced the 
journey with his allies, who, including porters, women, and children 
amounted to a thousand people. 

At the break of day, says Baker, we started. It would be tedious tc 
describe the journey, as, although by a diffrent route, it was through the 
same country that we had traversed before. After the first day's march 
we quitted the forest and entered upon the great prairies. I was aston- 
ished to find after several days' journey a great difference in the dryness 
of the climate. In Unyoro we had left the grass an intense green, the 
rain having been frequent : here it was nearly dry, and in many places it- 
had been burnt by the native hunting parties. From some elevated 
points in the route I could distinctly make out the outline of the moun- 
tains running from the Albert Lake to the north, on the west bank of the 
Nile ; these would hardly have been observed by a person who was 
ignorant of their existence, as the grass was so high that I had to ascend 
a white ant-hill to look for them; they were about sixty miles dis- 
tant, and my men, who knew them well, pointed them out to their 
companions. 

The entire party, including women and children, had to be provided 
for daily. Although they had abundance of flour, there was no meat, 
and the grass being high there was no chance of game. On the fourth 
day only I saw a herd of about twenty tetel (hartebeest) in an open space 
that had been recently burnt. We were both riding upon oxen that I had 
purchased of Ibrahim, and we were about a mile ahead of the flag in the 
hope of getting a shot ; dismounting from my animal I stalked the game 
down a ravine, but upon reaching the point that I had resolved upon for 
the shot, I found the herd had moved their position to about 250 paces 
from me. 

They were all looking at me, as they had been disturbed by the oxen 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 87 

and the boy Saat in the distance. Dinner depended on the shot. There 
was a leafless bush singed by the recent fire ; upon a branch of this I took 
a rest, but just as I was going to fire they moved off" — a clean miss ! — 
whizz went the bullet over them, but so close to the ears of one that it 
shook its head as though stung by a wasp, and capered round and round ; 
the others stood perfectly still, gazing at the oxen in the distance. 

Hungry as Wolves. 

Crack went the left-hand barrel of the little rifle, and down went a tetell 
like a lump of lead, before the satisfactory sound of the bullet returned 
from the distance. Off went the herd, leaving a fine beast kicking on the 
ground. It was shot through the spine, and some of the native porters 
having witnessed the sport from a great distance, threw down their loads 
and came racing towards the meat like a pack of wolves scenting blood. 
In a few minutes the prize was divided, while a good portion was carried 
by Saat for our own use : the tetel, weighing about 500 lbs. vanished 
among the crowd in a few minutes. 

On the fifth day's march from the Victoria Nile we arrived at Shooa ; 
|he change was delightful after the wet and dense vegetation of Unyoro ; 
}he country was dry, and the grass low and of fine quality. We took 
jjr>sses? : ^n of our camp, that had already been prepared for us in a large 
court-yard well cemented with manure and clay, and fenced with a 
strong row of palisades. A large tree grew in the centre. Several huts 
Rrere erected for interpreters and servants, and a tolerably commodious 
but, the roof overgrown with pumpkins, was arranged for our mansion. 

That evening the native women crowded to our camp to welcome my 
A'ife home, and to dance in honor of our return ; for which exhibition 
they expected a present of a cow. 

Much to my satisfaction I found that my first-rate riding ox that had 
6een lamed during the previous year by falling into a pitfall, and had been 
returned to Shooa, was perfectly recovered ; thus I had a good mount for 
my journey to Gondokoro. 

Some months were passed at Shooa, during which I occupied my time 
by rambling about the neighborhood, ascending the mountain, making 
duplicates of my maps, and gathering information, all of which was sim- 
ply a corroboration of what I had heard before, excepting from the East. 

Death in the Air. 

As they were marching thence through the country inhabited by the 
Bari tribe, they were attacked in a gorge by the natives. We continue 
the interesting narrative in Baker's own words : 

The level of the country being about 200 feet above the Nile, deep 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 89 

gullies cut the route at right angles, forming the natural drains to the 
river. In these ravines grew dense thickets of bamboos. Having no 
native guide, but trusting solely to the traders' people, who had travelled 
frequently by this route, we lost the path, and shortly became entangled 
ftmongst the numerous ravines. 

At length we passed a village, around which were assembled a u«m« 
6er of natives. Having regained the route, we observed the natives 
Appearing in various directions, and as quickly disappearing only to 
gather in our front in increased numbers. Their movements exciting 
suspicion, in a country where every man was an enemy, our party closed 
together ;— we threw out an advance guard — ten men on either flank — 
the porters, ammunition, and effects in the centre ; while about ten mei? 
brought up the rear. Before us lay two low rocky hills covered with 
trees, high grass and brushwood, in which I distinctly observed the. 
fcrighi ,<ed forms of natives painted according to the custom of the Bari 
tribe. 

We wv>re evidently in for a fight The path lay in a gorge between 
(he low rocky hills in advance. My wife dismounted from her ox, and 
walked at the head of our party with me, Saat following behind with the 
gun that Le usually carried, while the men drove several riding-oxen in 
the centre. 

Arrows Whizzing Overhead. 

Hardly \ixd we entered the pass, when — whizz went an arrow over our 
heads. This was the signal for a repeated discharge. The natives ran 
among the r^n-.ks with the agility of monkeys, and showed a consider- 
able amount of daring in standing within about eighty yards upon the 
ridge, and taki^ steady shots at us with their poisoned arrows. The 
flanking parties uow opened fire, and what with the bad shooting of both 
the escort and tho natr**^ archers, no one was wounded on either side for 
the first ten minute The rattle of musketry and the wild appearance 
of the naked vermilion-colored savages, as they leapt along the craggy 
ridge, twanging their bows at us with evil but ineffectual intent, was a 
rharming picture of African life and manners. 

Fortunately, the branches of numerous trees and intervening clumps 
if bamboo frustrated the good intentions of the arrows, as they glanced 
from their aim ; and although some fell among our party, we were as yet 
unscathed. One of the ^nemy, who was probably a chief, distinguished 
himself in particular, by advancing to within about fifty yards, and stand- 
ing on a rock, he deliberately shot five or six arrows, all of which missed 
their mark; the men dodged them as they arrived in their uncertain 



90 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

flight ; the speed of the arrows was so inferior, owing to the stiffness ol 
the bows, that nothing was easier than to evade them. Any halt was 
unnecessary. We continued our march through the gorge, the men 
keeping up an unremitting fire until we entered upon a tract of high 
grass and forest ; this being perfectly dry, it would have been easy to set 
it on fire, as the enemy were to leeward; but although the rustling in 
the grass betokened the presence of a great number of men, they were 
invisible. 

A Savage Fatally Wounded. 

In a few minutes we emerged in a clearing, where corn had been 
planted; this was a favorable position for a decisive attack upon the 
natives, who now closed up. Throwing out skirmishers, with orders 
that they were to cover themselves behind the trunks of trees, the Baris 
were driven back. One was now shot through the body and fell ; but 
recovering, he ran with his comrades, and fell dead after a few yards. 

What casualties had happened during the passage of the gorge, 1 
cannot say, but the enemy were now utterly discomfited. I had not 
fired a shot, as the whole affair was perfect child's-play, and anyone who 
could shoot would have settled the fortune of the day by half a dozen 
shots ; but both the traders' people and my men were " shooters, but not 
hitters." We now bivouacked on the field for the night. 

During the march on the following day, the natives watched us at a 
distance, following in great numbers parallel with our route, but fearing 
to attack. The country was perfectly open, being a succession of fine 
downs of low grass, with few trees, where any attack against our guns 
would have been madness. 

In the evening we arrived at two small deserted villages ; these, like 
most in the Bari country, were circular, and surrounded by a live and 
impenetrable fence of euphorbia, having only one entrance. The traders' 
people camped in one, while I took up my quarters in the other. The 
sun had sunk, and the night being pitch dark, we had a glorious fire, 
around which we placed our couches opposite the narrow entrance of 
the camp, about ten yards distant. 

Surrounded by Hostile Natives. 

I stationed Richarn as sentry outside the gateway, as he was the most 
reliable of my men, and I thought it extremely probable that we might 
be attacked during the night ; three other sentries I placed on guard af 
various stations. Dinner being concluded, Mrs. Baker lay down on her 
couch for the night. I drew the balls from a doubled-barrelled smooth 
bore rifle, and loaded with cartridge containing each twenty large-mould 




91 



92 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

shot (about a hundred to the pound) ; putting this under my pillow f 
went to sleep. Hardly had I begun to rest, when my men woke me,, 
saying that the camp was surrounded by natives. Upon inquiry I found 
this to be correct ; it was so dark that they could not be seen without 
stooping to the ground, and looking along the surface. I ordered the 
sentries not to fire unless hostilities should commence on the side of the 
tiatives, and in no case to draw trigger without a challenge. 

Returning to the couch I laid down, and not wishing to sleep, I smoked 
my long Unyoro pipe. In about ten minutes — bang J went a shot^ 
quickly followed by another from the sentry at the entrance of the camp 
Quietly rising from my bed, I found Richarn reloading at his post. 
" What is it, Richarn ? " I asked. " They are shooting arrow c into the 
camp, aiming at the fire, in hopes of hitting you who are sleeping there," 
said Richarn. " I watched one fellow," he continued, " as I heard the 
twang of his bow four times. At each shot I heard an arrow strike the 
ground between me and you, therefore I fired at him, and I tnink he is 
down. Do you see that black object lying on the ground?" I saw 
something a little blacker than the surrounding darkness, but it could 
not be distinguished. Leaving Richarn with orders not to move from 
his post but to keep a good look-out until relieved by the next watch, I 
again went to sleep. 

Poisoned Arrows. 

Before break of day, just as the grey dawn slightly improved the 
darkness, I visited the sentry ; he was at his post, and reported that he 
thought the archer of the preceding night was dead, as he had heard a 
sound proceeding from the dark object on the ground after I had left. 
In a few minutes it was sufficiently light to distinguish the body of a 
man lying about thirty paces from the camp entrance. Upon examina- 
tion, he proved to be a Bari; — his bow was in his hand, and two or 
three arrows were lying by his side; — thirteen mould shot had struck 
him dead ; — one had cut through the bow. We now searched the camp 
for arrows, and as it became light, we picked up four in various places, 
some within a few feet of our beds, and all horribly barbed and poisoned^ 
that the deceased had shot into the camp gateway. 

This was the last attack during our journey. We marched well, gen= 
erally accomplishing fifteen miles of latitude daily from this point, as the 
road was good and well known to our guides. The country was generally 
poor, but beautifully diversified with large trees, the tamarind predomi- 
nating. Passing through the small but thickly-populated and friendly 
little province of Moir, in a few days we sighted the well-known moun' 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 93 

tain Belignian, that we had formerly passed on its eastern side when we 
had started on our uncertain path from Gondokoro upwards of two years 
ago. We had a splendid view of the Ellyria Mountain, and of the dis- 
tant cone, Honey Mountain, between Ellyria and Obbo. 

All these curiously-shaped crags and peaks were well knows to us, and 
We welcomed them as old friends after a long absence ; they had been 
Our companions in times of doubt and anxiety, when success in our under- 
taking appeared hopeless. At noon on the following day, as we were as 
usual marching parallel with the Nile, the river, having made a slight 
bend to the west, swept round, and approached within half a mile of our 
path ; the small conical mountain, Regiaf, within twelve miles of Gondo- 
koro,, was on our left, rising from the west bank of the river. We felt 
almost at home again, and marching until sunset, we bivouacked within 
three miles of Gondokoro. 

Back at Gondokoro. 

That night we were full of speculations. Would a boat be waiting for 
us with supplies and letters ? The morning anxiously looked forward to 
arrived. We started; the English flag had been mounted on a fine 
straight bamboo with a new lance-head specially arranged for the arrival at 
Gondokoro. My men felt proud, as they would march in as conquerors ; 
according to White Nile ideas such a journey could not have been accom- 
plished with so small a party. Long before Ibrahim's men were ready to 
start, oui oxen were saddled and we were off, longing to hasten into Gon- 
dokoro and to find a comfortable vessel with a few luxuries, and the post 
from England. Never had the oxen traveled so fast as on that morning; 
the flag led the way, and the men in excellent spirits followed at double- 
quick pace. 

" I see the masts of the vessels ! " exclaimed the boy, Saat. " El hambd 
el Illah ! " (thank God !) shouted the men. " Hurrah ! " said I—" Three 
cheers for old England and the Sources of the Nile! hurrah!" and my 
men joined me in the wild, and to their ears, savage English yell. " Now 
(or a salute ! Fire away all your powder if you like, my lads, and let the 
people know that we're alive ! " 

This was all that was required to complete the happiness of my people, 
•and loading and firing as fast as possible, we approached near to Gondo- 
koro. Presently we saw the Turkish flag emerge from Gondokoro, at 
about a quarter of a mile distant, followed by a number of the traders' 
people, who waited to receive us. On our arrival, they immediately 
approached and fired salutes with ball cartridge, as usual advancing close 
>» *»* and discharging their guns into the ground at our feet. One of ntv 



94 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

servants, Mahomet, was riding an ox, and an old friend of his in the 
crowd happening to recognize him, immediately advanced and saluted 
him by firing his gun into the earth directly beneath the belly of the ox 
he was riding ; the effect produced made the crowd and ourselves 
explode with laughter. The nervous ox, terrified at the sudden dis= 
charge between his legs, gave a tremendous kick, and continued madly 
kicking and plunging, until Mahomet was pitched over his head, and lay 
sprawling on the ground ; this scene terminated the expedition. 
Frightful Ravages of a Plague. 

The foregoing account, given in Baker's most graphic language, shows 
what hardships his expidition encountered, all of which were shared by 
his heroic wife, who is the most celebrated woman traveller known to 
Tropical exploration. 

On reaching Gondoko, only three boats had arrived, while the trading 
parties were in consternation at hearing that the Egyptian authorities 
were about to suppress the slave trade and with four steamers had 
arrived at Khartoum, two of which had ascended the White Nile and 
had captured many slavers. Thus the three thousand slaves who were 
then assembled at Gondokoro would be utterly worthless. 

The plague also was raging at Khartoum, and many among the crews 
of the boats had died on the passage. Mr. Baker, however, engaged 
one of them belonging to Koorshid Pacha. 

Bidding farewell to his former opponent, Ibrahim, who had since, 
however, behaved faithfully, Mr. Baker and his devoted wife commenced 
their voyage down the Nile. Unhappily the plague, as might have been 
expected, broke out on board, and several of their people died among 
them. They chiefly regretted the loss of the faithful little boy, Saat. 

At Khartoum, which they reached on the 5th of May, 1865, they 
were welcomed by the whole European population, and hospitably 
entertained. 

Here they remained two months. During the time the heat was in- 
tense, and the place was visited by a dust-storm, which in a few minutes 
produced an actual pitchy darkness. At first there was no wind, and 
when it came it did not arrive with the violence that might have been 
expected. So intense was the darkness, that Mr. Baker and his com- 
panions tried in va 1 'n to distinguish their hands placed close before theit 
eyes ; not even an outline could be seen. This lasted for upwards of 
twenty minutes, and then rapidly passed away. They had, however, felt 
such darkness as the Egyptians experienced in the time of Moses. 

The plague had been introduced by the slaves landed from two vessels 



THE NIAGARA OF AFRICA. 95 

which had been captured, and in which the pestilence had broken out 
They contained upwards of eight hundred and fifty human beings. 
Nothing could be more dreadful than the condition in which the unhappy 
beings were put on shore. The women had afterwards been distributed 
among the soldiers, and, in consequence, the pestilence had been dissemi* 1 
nated throughout the place. 

Mr. Baker had the satisfaction of bringing Mahomet Her, who had 
instigated his men to mutiny at Latooka, to justice. He was seized and 
carried before the governor, when he received one hundred and fifty 
lashes. How often had the wretch flogged women to excess ! What 
murders had he not committed ! And now how he had howled for 
mercy ! Mr. Baker, however, begged that the punishment might be 
stopped, and that it might be explained to him that he was thus punished 
for attempting to thwart the expedition of an English traveller by insti- 
gating his escort to mutiny. 

The Nile having now risen, the voyage was recommenced ; but their 
"essel was very nearly wrecked on descending the cataracts. 

On reaching Berber, they crossed the desert east to Sonakim on the 
Red Sea. Hence, finding a steamer, they proceeded by way of Suez to 
Cairo, where they left the faithful Richarn and his wife in a comfortable 
situation as servants at Shepherd's Hotel, and Mr. Baker had the satis- 
faction of hearing that the Royal Geographical Society had awarded him 
the Victoria Gold Medal, a proof that his exertions had been duly appre* 
ciated. He, also, on his arrival in England, received the honor of 
knighthood. 

Sir Samuel and Lady Baker, after a short stay at home, returned to 
Egypt ; Sir Samuel there having received the rank of pacha from the 
Khedive. 

It is gratifying to know that the heroic sacrifices and brilliant services 
in Tropical exploration rendered by Mr. and Mrs. Baker were appreciated 
in their own home, and were recognized by the government of Great 
Britain. From an ordinary personage Mr. Baker rose to the rank of 
Baronet, had the title conferred upon him by which he is now known to 
the world, and this was given solely as a reward for meritorious services. 
Few explorers in Africa have done more for the benefit of that benighted 
region than he, and if his own ideas and plans had been carried out, and 
the great changes had taken place which he contemplated, Africa to-day 
would be centuries nearer enlightenment than she is. 



CHAPTER V. 

A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 

Khediv* ot Egypt— Bak«r Made a Pasha— Second Expedition Towards th§ 
Sources of the Nile — A Scene of Desolation — Conveying Steel Steamers for the 
Albert Lake — The Expedition's Outfit — Musical Boxes and Magic Lanterns — The 
Military Forces — Baker's Very "Irregular Cavalry" — Grotesque Manoeuvres— 
The Camel Transport — Gun Carriages and Heavy Machinery — Steaming up the 
Nile — One of the Bravest Achievements of Modern Times — A Grand River — Im- 
mense Flats and Boundless Marshes — Current Checked by Floating Islands — 
Toilsome Passage — The Expedition Retreats — Pursuing Game — A Beautiful 
Animal— Baker in Camp — The Shillook Tribe— Superior Savages — Crafty Tres- 
passers — Old Chief with Immense Family — A Pompous Ruler — Wholesale Matri- 
mony — Brown Men Get Jilted — A Little Black Pet — Natives Up in Arms — A 
Dangerous Encounter — Attack From the Baris — Dastardly Traitor — The House- 
hold—Black Boys Who Would Not Steal Sugar— Little "Cuckoo"— A Remarka- 
ble Rock — An Old Superstition — On the March — Adventure with a Rhinoceros- 
Horse Attacked— Timely Shot — The Wild Beast Laid Low — Arrival at Unyoro — 
Sanguinary Battle — "Chinese" Gordon at Khartoum— Gordon's Untimely Death. 

FRICAN exploration was not destined to halt. We find Sir Samuel 
Baker upon a second expedition fully equal in interest to the one 
described in the preceding chapter. This expedition was urged by 
the Prince of Wales, and was furthered by powerful patrons in Eng- 
land. Baker had proved himself a bold spirit, the master of events and 
circumstances, an explorer of great tact, endurance and energy, and it was 
confidently believed that if he were sent into Central Africa not only would 
a path for commerce be opened, but a large part of the country could be 
annexed to Egypt, and active measures could be taken for the suppres- 
sion of the slave traffic and other deeds of violence which rendered this 
vast region a complete pandemonium. 

The expedition was to last four years. During this period Baker was 
made a Pasha, or was constituted an Egyptian governor. His territory 
was vast in the extreme, being nothing less than the Nile region. It will 
be understood that the Khedive of Egypt, by whose immediate authority 
Bakei conducted this expedition, received his title from the Sultan of 
Turkey, and was given this name by virtue of having been made the 
ruler of Egypt. Thus Baker began 'his great undertaking with as much 
authority as it was needful or possible for anyone to have. He was sent 
without let or hindrance, was given command of his own forces, was 
96 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 97 

invested even with the power of life or death. He was made an autocrat, 
was constituted a supreme ruler, and had he not been a very wise, 
judicious, and self-possessed man, he would unquestionably have become 
a tyrant, and a curse instead of a benefactor to the savage and warlike 
tribes of Central Africa. 

For the most part we shall permit Mr. Baker to tell his thrilling storj; 
in his own language. 

In my former journey, he says, I had traversed countries of extreme 
fertility in Central Africa, with a healthy climate favorable for the settle- 
ment of white men, at a mean altitude of four thousand feet above the 
sea-level. This large and almost boundless extent of country was well 
peopled by a race who only required the protection of a strong but 
paternal government to become of considerable importance, and to 
eventually develop the great resources of the soil. 

I found lands varying in natural capabilities according to their position 
and altitudes — where sugar, cotton, coffee, rice, spices, and all tropi- 
cal produce might be successfully cultivated ; but those lands were with- 
out any civilized form of government, and " every man did what seemed 
right in his own eyes." 

A Scene of Desolation. 

Rich and well-populated countries were rendered desolate ; the women 
and children were carried into captivity ; villages were burned, and crops 
were destroyed or pillaged ; the population was driven out ; a terrestrial 
paradise was converted into an infernal region ; the natives, who were 
originally friendly, were rendered hostile to all strangers, and the general 
condition could only be expressed in one word — " ruin." 

To effect the grand reform contemplated it would be necessary to 
annex the Nile Basin, and to establish a government in countries that 
had been hitherto without protection, and a prey to adventurers from the 
Soudan. To convey steel steamers from England, and to launch them 
upon the Albert Lake, and thus open the resources of Central Africa ; to 
establish legitimate trade in a vast country which had hitherto been a 
[field of rapine and of murder ; to protect the weak and to punish the 
evil-doer, and to open the road to a great future, where the past had 
been all darkness and the present reckless spoliation — this was the grand 
object which Ismail, the Khedive of Egypt, determined to accomplish. 

Before I left England I personally selected every article that was nee* 
essary for the expedition ; thus an expenditure of about forty"five thous- 
and dollars was sufficient for the purchase of the almost innumerable 
items that formed the outfit for tin. enterprise. This included an admir* 

W. A.— 7 



98 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

able selection of Manchester goods, such as cotton sheeting, gray calico, 
cotton, and also woolen blankets, white, scarlet, and blue ; Indian scarfs, 
red and yellow ; handkerchiefs of gaudy colors, chintz printed ; scarlet 
flannel shirts, serge of colors (blue, red), linen trousers, etc., etc. 

Tools of all sorts — axes, small hatchets, harness bells, brass rods, cop- 
per rods, combs, zinc mirrors, knives, crockery, tin plates, fish-hooks, 
musical-boxes, colored prints, finger-rings, razors, tinned spoons, cheap 
watches, etc., etc. 

Musical Boxes and Magic Lanterns. 

I thus had sufficient clothing for a considerable body of troops if nec- 
essary, while the magazines could produce anything from a needle to a 
crow-bar, or from a handkerchief to a boat's sail. It will be seen here~ 
after that these careful arrangements assured the success of the expedi- 
tion, as the troops, when left without pay, could procure all they required 
from the apparently inexhaustible stores of the magazines. 

In addition to the merchandise and general supplies, I had several 
large musical boxes with bells and drums, an excellent magic lantern, 
wheels of life, and an assortment of toys. The greatest wonder to the 
natives were two large girandoles ; also the silvered balls, about six 
inches in diameter, that, suspended from the branch of a tree, reflected 
the scene beneath. 

In every expedition the principal difficulty is the transport. *' Travel 
/ght, if possible," is the best advice for all countries; but in chis instance 
it was simply impossible, as the object of the expedition was not only to 
convey steamers to Central Africa, but to establish legitimate trade in the 
place of the nefarious system of pillage hitherto adopted by the so-called 
White Nile traders. 

The military arrangements comprised a force of one thousand six hun- 
dred and forty-five troops, including a corps of two hundred irregular 
cavalry, and two batteries of artillery. The infantry were two regiments, 
supposed to be well selected. The black, or Soudani, regiment included 
many officers and men who had served for some years in Mexico with 
the French army under Marshal Bazaine. The Egyptian regiment 
turned out to be for the most part convicted felons who had been trans- 
ported for various crimes from Egypt to the Soudan. 

I reviewed the irregular cavalry, about two hundred and fifty horse. 
These were certainly very irregular. Each man was horsed and armed 
according to his individual notion of a trooper's requirements. There 
were lank, half-starved horses ; round, short horses ; very small ponies • 
horses that were all legs ; others that were all heads ; horses that had 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 99 

been groomed ; horses that had never gone through that operation 
The sacViks and bridles were only fit for an old curiosity-shop. There 
were some with faded strips of gold and silver lace adhering here and 
there ; others that resembled the horse in skeleton appearance, which had 
been strengthened by strips of raw crocodile skin. The unseemly huge 
shovel-stirrups were rusty ; the bits were filthy. Some of the men had 
swords and pistols; others had short blunderbusses with brass barrels; 
many had guns of various patterns, from the long, old-fashioned Arab 
to the commonest double-barreled French gun that was imported. The 
customs varied in a like manner to the arms and animals. 
Grotesque Manoeuvers. 

Having formed in line, they now executed a brilliant charge at a sup- 
posed enemy, and performed many feats of valor ; and having quickly 
got into inconceivable confusion, they at length rallied and returned to 
their original position. 

I complimented their officer; and having asked Djiaffer Pasha, one of 
the Khedive's generals, if these brave troops represented my cavalry 
force, and being assured of the fact, I dismissed them, and requested 
Djiaffer Pasha to inform them that " I regretted the want of transport 
would not permit me the advantage of their services. 'Inshallah!' 
(Please God !) at some future time," etc., etc. 

I thus got rid of my cavalry, which I never wished to see again. I had 
twenty-one good horses that I had brought from Cairo, and these, 
together with the horses belonging to the various officers, were as much 
as we could convey. 

I had taken extra precautions, in the packing of ammunition and 
all perishable goods. The teak boxes for ammunition, also the 
boxes of rockets, were lined hermetically sealed with soldered tin. The 
light goods and smaller articles were packed in strong, useful, painted 
tin boxes, with locks and hinges. Each box was numbered, and when 
the lid was opened, a tin plate was soldered over the open face, so that 
the lid, when closed, locked above a hermetically sealed case. Each tin 
box was packed in a deal case, with a number to correspond with the 
box within. By this arrangement the tin boxes arrived at their destina- 
tion as good as new, and were quite invaluable for traveling, as they 
each formed a handy load, and were alike proof against the attacks vt 
insects and bad weather. 

Camels and Gun-carriages. 

I had long water-proof cloaks for the night sentries in rainy climates, 
and sou'-wester caps ; these proved of great service during active opera- 



100 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

ttons in the wet season, as the rifles were kept dry under the cloaks, and 
the men were protected from wet and cold when on guard. 

The provisions for the troops were wheat, rice, and lentils. The sup- 
plies from England, and in fact the general arrangements had been so 
carefully attended to, that throughout the expedition I could not feei a 
want, neither could I either regret or wish to have changed any plan 
that I had originally determined. 

For the transport of the heavy machinery across the desert I employed 
gun-carriages drawn by two camels each. The long steel sections of 
steamers and the section of life-boats were slung upon long poles of fir 
arranged between two camels in the manner of shafts. Many hundred 
poles served this purpose, and subsequently were used at head-quarters as 
rafters for magazines and various buildings. 

I had thrown my whole heart into the expedition ; but I quickly per- 
ceived the difficulties that I should have to contend with in the passive 
resistance of those whose interests would be affected. The arrangements 
that I had made would have insured success, if carried out according U 
the dates specified. The six steamers and the sailing flotilla from Cairo 
should have started on June ioth, in order to have ascended the cataract* 
of the Wady Halfah at the period of high water. Instead of this the ves- 
sels were delayed, in the absence of the Khedive in Europe, until August 
29th ; thus, by the time they reached the second cataract, the river had 
fallen, and it was impossible to drag the steamers through the passage 
until the ^.ext season. Thus twelve months were wasted, and I was a* 
once deprived of the invaluable aid of six steamers. 
Steaming- Up the Nile. 

A train 01 forty-one railway wagons, laden with sections of steamers,, 
machinery, boiler sections, etc., etc., arrived at Cairo, and were embarked 
on board eleven hired vessels. With the greatest difficulty I procured a 
steamer of one hundred and forty horse-power to tow this flotilla to 
Korosko, from which spot the desert journey would commence. I 
obtained this steamer only by personal application to the Khedive. 

At length I witnessed the start of the entire party of engineers and 
(Mechanics. One steamer towed the long line of eleven vessels against 
the powerful stream of the Nile. One of the tow-ropes snapped at the 
commencement of the voyage, which created some confusion, but, when 
rghted, they quickly steamed out of view. This mass of heavy material, 
including two steamers, and two steel life-boats of ten tons each, was to 
be transported for a distance of about three thousand miles, four hundred 
of which would be across the scorching - Nubian desest* ? 




101 



102 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

The foregoing account of the obstacles encountered by Baker lends 
an almost superhuman character to his subsequent success. Nothing 
stopped him ; he leaped over difficulties that would easily have defeated 
weaker men. His transport of the heavy freight of his expedition for 
so great a distance over desert sands and through unexplored regions was 
one of the bravest achievements of modern times. 

The white Nile, says Baker, is a grand river between the Sobat June* 
don and Khartoum, and after passing south to the great affluent the dif«? 
ference in the character is quickly perceived. We now enter upon the 
region of the immense flats and boundless marshes, through which the 
river winds in a labyrinth-like course for about seven hundred and fifty 
miles to Gondokoro. Having left the Sobat, we arrived at the junction of 
the Bahr Giraffe, thirty-eight miles distant, on February 17th. Having 
turned into the river, I waited for the arrival of the fleet. 

Toilsome Passage. 

The Bahr Giraffe was to be our new passage instead of the origrfiai 
White Nile. That river, which had become so curiously obstructed by 
masses of vegetation that had formed a solid dam, had been entirely neg- 
lected by the Egyptian authorities. In consequence of this neglect an 
extraordinary change had taken place. The immense number of floating 
islands which are constantly passing down the stream of the White Nile 
had no exit : thus they were sucked under the original obstruction by 
the force of the stream, which passed through some mysterious channel v 
until the subterraneous passage became choked with a wondrous accu- 
mulation of vegetable matter. The entire river became a marsh, beneath 
which, by the great pressure of water, the stream oozed through innum- 
erable small channels. In fact, the White Nile had disappeared. A 
vessel arriving from Khartoum in her passage to Gondokoro would find, 
after passing through a broad river of clear water, that the bow would 
suddenly strike against a bank of solid compressed vegetation — this was 
the natural dam that had been formed to an unknown extent ; the river 
ceased to exist. 

I was rather anxious about this new route, as I had heard conflicting" 
accounts in Khartoum concerning the possibility of navigating such large 
vessels as the steamers of thirty-two horse-power and a hundred feet 
length of deck. I was provided with guides who professed to be thor- 
oughly acquainted with the river ; these people were captains of trading* 
vessels, who had made the voyage frequently. 

The rear vessels of the fleet having arrived, the steamers worked up 
against the strong current independency. Towing was difficult, owing 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. l03 

fio the sharp turns of the river. The Bahr Giraffe was about seventy yards 
in width, and at this season the banks are high and dry. Throughout 
the voyage on the White Nile we had had excellent wild-fowl shooting 
whenever we had halted to cut fuel for the steamers. One afternoon I 
killed a-hippopotamus, two crocodiles, and two pelicans, with the rifle. 
We found many young pelicans unable to fly. Flocks of the old birds 
were sitting upon the benches of the lagoon, and it appeared that the 
elands were their breeding-places ; not only so, but from the number of 
skeletons and bones there scattered, it would seem that, for ages, these 
had been selected as the closing scene of their existence. Certainly none 
more likely to be free from disturbance of every kind could have been 
chosen, than the islets of a hidden lagoon of an uninhabited locality; 
nor can anything be more consonant to their feelings, if pelicans have 
any, than quietly to resign their breath, surrounded by their progeny, 
and in the same spot where they first drew it. 

" Day by day, 
New lessons, exercises, and amusements 
Employed the old to teach, the young to learn. 
Now floating on the blue lagoon behold them, 
The sire and dam in swan-like beauty steering, 
Their cygnets following through the foaming wake, 
Picking the leaves of plants, pursuing insects, 
Or catching at the bubbles as they brake ; 
Till on some minor fry, in reedy shallows, 
With flapping pinions and unsparing beaks, 
The well-taught scholars plied their double art, 
To fish in troubled waters, and secure 
The petty captives in their maiden pouches ; 
Then hurry with their banquet to the shore, 
With feet, wings, breast, half swimming and half flying ". 
And when their wings grew strong to fight the storm, 
And buffet with the breakers on the reef, 
The parents put them to severer proofs." 

As the fleet now slowly sailed against the strong current of the Bahr 
Giraffe, I walked along the bank with Lieutenant Boker, and shot ten of 
the large francolin partridges, which, in this dry season, were very, 
numerous. The country was, as usual, flat, but, bearing due south of the 
Bahr Giraffe junction, about twelves miles distant, is a low granite hill, 
partially covered with trees ; this is the first of four similar low hills that 
are the only rising points above the vast prairie of flat plain. 

As we were walking along the bank I perceived an animal ascending 
from the river about two hundred yards distant, where it had evidently 
been drinking ; we immediately endeavored to cut off its retreat, when it 



104 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

suddenly emerged from the grass and discovered a fine Hon with large 
shaggy mane. The king of beasts, as usual, would not stand to show 
fight in the open field, but bounded off in the direction of the rocky hills,, 

The Ketreat. 

The explorers had to return. Quoting from his journal Baker says: 

All the vessels are stuck fast for want of water ! This is terrible 
I went on in advance of my diahbeeah, accompanied by Mrs. Baker, for 
about three miles to explore. Throughout this distance the greatest 
depth was about four feet, and the average was under three feet. At 
length the diahbeeah, which drew only two feet three inches, was fast 
aground ! This was at a point where two raised mounds, or dubbas, 
were on opposite sides of the river. I left the vessel, and, with one 
of my men, explored in the rowing-boat for about two miles in advance. 
After the first mile, the boat grounded in about six inches of water upon 
firm sand. The river, after having deepened for a short space, was sud- 
denly divided into three separate channels, all of which were too shallow 
for the passage of the diahbeeah, and two were even too shallow to admit 
the small-boat. The boatmen jumped out, and we hauled her up the 
shallows until we reached the main stream, above the three channels, but 
having no greater mean depth than about two feet six inches. 

We continued for some distance up the stream with the same unfortu- 
nate results. The banks, although flooded during the wet season, were 
now dry, and a forest was about a mile distant. Having left the boat 
and ascended a white ant-hill about eight feet high, in order to take a 
view of the country, I observed a herd of very beautiful antelopes, of a 
kind that were quite unknown to me. 

There is no change so delightful as a little sport, if you are in low 
spirits ; thus, taking the rifle, I rowed up the river for about half a mile 
in the small boat, and then landing, I obtained the right wind. It was 
exceedingly difficult to approach game in these extensive treeless flats, 
and it would have been quite impossible, had it not been for the innu- 
merable hills of the white ants ; these are the distinguishable features of 
jthese swampy countries, and the intelligence of the insects directs their 
architecture to a height far above the level of the highest floods. T1k 
earth used in their construction is the subsoil brought up from a consid* 
erable depth ; as the ant-hills are yellow, while the surface-soil is black* 
The earth is first swallowed by the insect, and thus it becomes mixed with 
some albuminous matter, which converts it into a cement that resists the 
action of rain. 

These hills were generally about eight feet high in the swampy districts,. 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 105 

but 1 Have frequently seen them above ten feet. The antelopes make use 

of sucn ant-hills as they can ascend as watch-towers, from which lofty 

position they can observe an enemy at a great distance. It is the custom 

of several varieties to place sentries while the herd is grazing ; and upon 

this occasion, although the sentry was alone visible, I felt sure that the 

herd was somewhere in his neighborhood. I have noticed that the sen 

tries are generally bulls. On this occasion I resolved, if possible, to stails 

the watchman. The grass was very low, and quite green, as it had beer 

fired by the wandering natives some time since ; thus, in places, there 

were patches of the tall, withered herbage that had been only partially 

consumed by the fire while unripe : these patches were an assistance in 

stalking. 

A Very Beautiful Animal. 

It was, of course, necessary to keep several tall ant-hills in a line with 
that upon which the antelope was standing, and to stoop so low that ) 
could only see the horns of the animal upon the sky-line. In some 
places it was necessary to crawl upon the ground. This was trying work, 
on account of the sharp stumps of the burned herbage, which punished 
the hands and knees. The fine charcoal dust from the recent fire was 
also a trouble, as the wind blew it into the eyes. The water-mark upon 
the ant-hills was about eighteen inches above the base, proving the height 
of the annual floods; and a vast number of the large water-helix, the size 
of a man's fist, lay scattered over the ground, destroyed and partially cal- 
cined by the late prairie fire. 

The sun was very hot, and I found crawling so great a distance a 
laborious operation ; my eyes were nearly blinded with perspiration and 
charcoal dust ; but every now and then, as I carefully raised my head, I 
could distinguish the horns of the antelope in the original position. At 
length I arrived at the base of the last ant-hill, from which I must take 
my shot. 

There were a few tufts of low scrub growing on the summit. To these 
I climbed ; and digging my toes firmly into an inequality in the side of the 
hill, I planted my elbows well on the surface, my cap being concealed by 
the small bushes and tufts of withered grass. The antelope was standing 
unconsciously about one hundred and eighty yards from me, perfectly 
motionless, and much resembling a figure fixed upon a pedestal. I was 
delighted with my capture. It was a very beautiful animal, about thir- 
teen hands high at the shoulder, the head long, the face and ears black s 
also the top of the head ; the body bright bay, with a stripe oi black about 
fifteen inches in width extending obliquely across the shoulder, down both 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 107 

the fore and the hind legs, and meeting at the rump. The tail was long, 
with a tuft of long black hair at the extremity. The horns were deeply 
annulated, and curved backward toward the shoulders. 

In Camp, 
On the 1st of May Baker established a camp at Tewfikayah. Here he 
was visited by the king of the Shillooks, a well-known tribe. A descrip* 
tion of this tribe will be of interest in this connection, only a brief men« 
tion having been made of it in a preceding chapter. 

The Shillooks are a tall and fine-made race of men, approaching very 
closely to the Negro, being black, with woolly hair. The flat nose and 
enormous lips of the true Negro are, however, absent, and only in a few 
cases is there an approach toward that structure. 

The Shillook men are very fond of ornament. Their ornaments con- 
sist chiefly of iron bracelets, anklets, and bead necklaces, and shoulder 
and waist garments made of feathers. Caps of black ostrich plumes 
decorate their heads, and many of these caps are ornamented with a 
circle of cowrie-shells. Their weapons are clubs and lances, the latter 
having iron wire twisted round the butt, so as to counter-balance the 
head. They also carry a remarkable bow-like shield. 

The women wear no clothes until marriage, and then assume a couple 
of pieces of dressed hide, one in front and the other behind. These 
hides reach nearly to the ankles, and are decorated round the lower 
edge with iron rings and bells. The heads are shaved, and the ears are 
bored all round their edges with a number of holes, from which hang 
small clusters of beads. 

The villages of the Shillooks are built very regularly, and in fact are 
so regular as to be stiff and formal in appearance. The houses are made 
of reeds, tall, of nearly the same height, and placed close to each other 
in regular rows or streets, and when seen from a distance are compared 
by Baker to rows of button mushrooms. 

The Shillooks are very clever in the management of their rafts, which 
they propel with small pebbles ; and even the little boys may be seen 
paddling about, not in the least afraid of the swarming crocodiles, but 
always carrying a lance with which to drive off the horrid reptiles if they 

attempt an attack. 

Crafty Trespassers. 

On one occasion the daring Shillooks established a small colony on 
the eastern or Dinka bank of the river, on account of the good pasturage. 
As soon as the Dinka had withdrawn toward the interior, the Shillooks 
crossed over, built a number of reed huts, ran an extemporized fence 



108 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

round them, and then brought over their cattle. They had plenty H 
outpostj inland, and as soon as the enemy were reported the ShillooRs 
embarked in their rafts, and paddled over to their own side of the river, 
the cattle plunging into the water in obedience to a well-known call, and 
following the canoes and rafts of their masters. Strange to say s the 
Crocodiles do not meddle with cattle under such circumstances. 

Aided 6y their rafts, the Shillooks employ much of their time in fish* 
ing. They do not use either net or hook, but employ the more sports*' 
manlike soear. This weapon is about ten feet in length, and has a 
barbed iron head loosely stuck into the end of the shaft, both being con- 
nected with a slack cord. As soon as the fish is struck, the shaft is dis- 
engaged irom the head, and being of light wood floats to the surface, 
and so " pxays " the fish until it is exhausted, and can be drawn ashore 
by a hooked stick. The Shillooks often catch fish at random, wading 
through the river against the stream, and striking their spears right and 
left into the water. 

Polygamy is of course practiced among the people. Mr. Petherick 
gives a very amusing description of an interview with a chief and hii 
family. 

" At one of these villages, Gosa, with a view to establishing a trade rn 
hide, or if possible in ivory, I made the acquaintance of its chief, Dood, 
who, with several of the village elders, entered my boat, the bank being 
crowded with every man, woman, and child of the village. The chief, a 
man past middle age, struck me by his intelligent remarks, and a bearing 
as straightforward as it was dignified and superior to that of his com- 
panions. A few presents of beads were greedily clutched by his attend- 
ants, he, however, receiving them as if they were his due ; and, passing 
an order to one of his men, the trifle I had given him was returned by a 
counter-present of a sheep. On his leaving I requested he would call 
before sunrise, attended by his sons only, when I would make him and 
them suitable presents. 

"You Don't Know My Family Yet." 

*' Long before the appointed time Dood and a crowd of men and strip- 
lings,, with their inseparable accompaniments of clubs and lances, on the 
shore, woke me from my slumbers ; and, as I appeared on deck, a rush 
took place toward me, with cries of ' The Benj ! the Benj ! ' (the chief), 
followed by salutations innumerable. As soon as these shouts subsided, 
Dood, disembarrassing his mouth with some difficulty of a quid of 
tobacco the size of a small orange, sat down by my side. 

" My first remark was astonishment at the number of his followers 




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110 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

having expected none but his sons. * Oh, 'tis all right : you don't knov 
my family yet ; but, owing to your kind promises, I sent to the cattle- 
kraals for the boys ; ' and with the pride of a father he said, ' These are 
my fighting sons, who many a time have stuck to me against the Dinka, 
Whose cattle have enabled them to wed.' 

" Notwithstanding a slight knowledge of Negro families, I was still n<# 
a little surprised to find his valiant progeny amount to forty grown-up 
men and hearty lads. * Yes,' he said, ' I did not like to bring the girls 
and little boys, as it would look as if I wished to impose upon your 
generosity.' 

"'What! more little boys and girls ! What may be their number, and 
how many wives have you ? ' 

" ' Well, I have divorced a good many wives ; they get old, you know j 
and now I have only ten and five.' But when he began to count his 
children, he was obliged to have recourse to a reed, breaking it up into 
small pieces. 

" Like all Negroes, not being able to count beyond ten, he called over 
ks many names, which he marked by placing a piece of reed on the^leck 
before him ; a similar mark denoted another ten, and so on until he had 
named and marked the number of his children. The sum total, with the 
exception, as he had explained, of babies and children unable to protect 
themselves, was fifty-three boys and twenty girls- — seventy-three ! 

" After the above explanation I could no longer withhold presents tl 
the host on the shore ; and, pleased with my donations, he invited me to 
his house, where I partook of merissa and broiled fowl, in whicn, as a 
substitute for fat, the entrails had been left. Expressing a desire to see 
his wives, he willingly conducted me from hut to hut, where my skin, 
hair, and clothes underwent a most scrutinizing examination. Each wife 
was located in a separate batch of huts ; and, after having distributed my 
pocketfuls of loose beads to the lady chieftains and their young families, 
in whose good graces I had installed myself, I took leave of the still 
sturdy Tillage chief." 

The code of government among the Shillooks is simple enough. There 
is a sultan or superior officer, who is called the " Meek," and who pos* 
iesses and exercises powers that are almost irresponsible. The Meek 
eems to appreciate the proverb that " familiarity breeds contempt," and 
jeeeps himself aloof from his own subjects, seldom venturing beyond the 
limits of his own homestead. He will not even address his subjects 
directly, but forces them to communicate with him through the medium 
of an official. Any one who approaches him must do so on his knees, 



A RENOWNED EXPEoiTlOw. Ill 

and no one may either stand erect or carry arms in his presence. He exe« 
cutes justice firmly and severely, and especially punishes murder and theft 
among his subjects, the culprit being sentenced to death, and his family 
sold as slaves. 

Theft and murder, however, when committed against other tribes, are 
considered meritorious, and, when a marauding party returns, the MecV 
(takes one=third of the plunder. He also has a right to the tusks of all' 
elephants killed by them, and he also expects a present from every trade! 
who passes through his territory. The Meek will not allow strangers to 
settle within the Shillook territories, but permits them to reside at Kaka v 
a large town on their extreme north. Here many trading Arabs live 
while they are making their fortune in exchanging beads, cattle bells, and 
other articles for cattle, slaves, and ivory. The trade in the latter article 
is entirely carried on by the Meek, who has the monopoly of ft, and 
makes the most of his privilege. 

Wholesale Matrimony. 

While at Tewfikeeyah Baker liberated a boat-load of slaves that had 
Seen captured by the Shiliooks. Continuing his narrative he says : I 
jrdered the slaves to wash, and issued clothes from the magazine for the 
naked women. On the following day I inspected the captives, and I 
explained to them their exact position. They were free people, and if 
their homes were at a reasonable distance they should be returned. If 
not, they must make themselves generally useful, in return for which thev 
would be fed and clothed. 

If any of the women wished to marry, there were many fine young men 
in the regiments who would make capital husbands. I gave each person 
a paper of freedom signed by myself. This was contained in a hollow 
reed, and suspended round their necks. Their names, approximate age, 
sex, and country were registered in a book corresponding with the num- 
bers on their papers. 

These arrangements occupied the whole morning. In the afternoon I 
again inspected them. Having asked the officer whether any of the 
legresses would wish to be married, he replied that all the women wished 
to marry, and that they had already selected their husbands ! This was 
wholesale matrimony, that required a church as large as Westminster 
Abbey, and a whole company of clergy ! 

Brown Men All Jilted. 

Fortunately, matters are briefly arranged in Africa, I saw the loving 
couples standing hand in hand. Some of the girls were pretty, and my 
black troops had shown good taste in their selection. Unfortunately, 



112 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

however, for the Egyptian regiment, the black ladies had a strong antipathy 
to brown men, and the suitors were all refused. This was a very awkward 
affair. The ladies having received their freedom, at once asserted 
"woman's rights." 

I was obliged to limit the matrimonial engagements ; and those who 
were for a time condemned to single blessedness were placed in charge of 
certain officers, to perform the cooking for the troops and other domestic 
work. I divided the boys into classes ; some I gave to the English work- 
men, to be instructed in carpenter's and blacksmith's work ; others were 
apprenticed to tailors, shoe-makers, etc., in the regiment, while the best- 
looking were selected as domestic servants. A nice little girl, of about 
three years old, without parents, was taken care of by my wife. 

When slaves are liberated in large numbers there is always a difficulty 
in providing for them. We feel this dilemma when our cruisers capture 
Arab dhows on the east coast of Africa, and our Government becomes 
responsible for an influx of foundlings. It is generally quite impossible to 
return them to their own homes ; therefore all that can be done is to 
instruct them in some useful work by which they can earn their liveli- 
hood. If the boys have their choice, they invariably desire a military 
life ; and I believe it is the best school for any young savage, as he is at 
\>nce placed under strict discipline, which teaches him habits of order and 
obedience. The girls, like those of other countries, prefer marriage to 
regular domestic work ; nevertheless, if kindly treated, with a due amount 
of authority, they make fair servants for any rough employment. 

A Little Black Pet. 

When female children are about five years old they are most esteemed 
by the slave-dealers, as they can be more easily taught; and they grow 
up with an attachment to their possessors, and in fact become members 
of the family. 

Little Mostoora, the child taken by my wife, was an exceedingly clever 
specimen of her race ; and although she was certainly not more thai 
three years old, she was quicker than most children of double her age 
With an ugly little face, she had a beautifully shaped figure, and possessed 
a power of muscle that I have never seen in a white child of that age. 
Her lot had fallen in pleasant quarters : she was soon dressed in con-= 
/enient clothes, and became the pet of the family. 

It was not till December that the fleet quitted Tewfikeeyah, which was 
then dismantled. The Shillook country was left at peace. The treacherous 
governor was disgraced, and the king's sons rewarded. The ships then 
began cutting their way south One vessel was found sunk, and after 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 113 

many " heart-breaking" disappointments, progress was resumed. A dam 
had to be made to float the fleet, and during all the time the boats and 
working parties were attacked by hippopotami, while disease broke out 
among the soldiers. But on the 15th of April, 1871, the fleet arrived at 
Gondokoro, after traversing an " abandoned country," a distance fourteen) 
hundred miles from Khartoum. 

Natives Up in Arms. 
The natives were not pleased at the arrival of Baker, who proceeded 
to annex the country in the name of the Khedive, and issued a procla= 
mation to the effect that everything belonged to the Khedive, and no 
trading must proceed on any other basis. As may be anticipated, such 
measures as these gave considerable offence, and the Bari tribe revolted 
against his authority. They didn't want any government, and on June 
1st an order was issued to the effect that, the Baris having refused obe- 
dience to the proclamation, force was necessary, and would be used 
against them. The capture of women and children was forbidden during 
hostilities, under penalty of death. 

Preparations were made for defence, for the Baris were threatening. 
Soon they came and drove off the cattle, the guards having presumably 
gone away. The thieves were followed, and some of the cattle recap- 
tured. Hostilities were now continuous, and the arrival of a treacherous 
trader, Abou Saood, did not tend to improve matters, and Baker remon- 
strated with him for continuing his friendly relations with the enemies of 
the Government, commanded his withdrawal from the district, and made 
him forfe*': his stolen cattle. 

This too lenient conduct was regretted by Baker afterwards, and, 
during the time he remained, the incessant attacks of the Baris and the 
half-hearted service of some of the troops made things very unpleasant, 
and dangerous after a while. The crocodiles, too, were extremely fero- 
cious, and many serious losses were occasioned by their attacks. One 
animal was captured which contained five pounds weight of pebbles in its 
stomach, a necklace, and two armlets, such as worn by the Negro girls. 
A Dangerous Encounter. 

[n giving an account of the capture of one of these monsters in the 
early part of the expedition, Baker says : Yesterday, as the men were 
digging out the steamers, which had become jammed by the floating 
rafts, they felt something struggling beneath their feet. They immedi- 
ately scrambled away in time to avoid the large head of a crocodile that 
broke its way through the mass in which it had been jammed and held 
prisoner by the rafts. The black soldiers, armed with swords and bill* 

W. A.— 8 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 115 

hooks, Immediately attacked the crocodile, who, although ireed from 
imprisonment, had not exactly fallen into the hands of the Humane 
Society. He was quickly dispatched, and that evening his flesh glad- 
dened the cooking-pots of the party. 

I was amused with the account of this adventure given by various 
officers who were eye-witnesses. One stated, in reply to my question as 
to the length of the animal, " Well, sir, I should not like to exaggerate, 
but I should say it was forty-five feet long from snout to tail !" Another 
witness declared it to be at least twenty feet ; but if one were seized by 
such a creature he would be disposed to think that, whatev:, might be 
its length, it is made up mainly of jaws. 

The Baris were still very enterprising, and came night after rugnt to 
attack the expedition. Their wily method of advance, and the silence 
which they observe, make their attack all the more dangerous. The 
passive resistance of Baker had been regarded as cowardice, and one 
evening a grand attack took place. The tribes were driven off, but the 
troops in camp had permitted themselves to be surprised. Baker was 
not at headquarters, and the artillery was " not even thought of! " 

Baker having fortified Gondokoro, which he now named Ismailia, 
quitted it to carry the war into the enemy's country with 450 men. The 
'\ttle force met the Baris after a march of thirteen miles, and an attack 
uras made on the stockades, which were carried at the point of the bay- 
onet. The Baris bolted, and Baker bivouacked. After some skirmish- 
ing, a treaty was proposed, and an alliance suggested. But treachery 
was at work, and Baker discovering it, attacked the Baris in their stock- 
ades. He then planted ambuscades, and succeeded in beating the Baris 

at their own game. 

Dastardly Traitor. 

The discipline of the troops under him gave Baker considerable unea- 
siness ; they wanted captives, which their commander had forbidden them; 
and after some time his chief captain, Raouf Bey, mutinied. An expe- 
dition was ordered to counteract this, and it succeeded, but the available 
force had been much reduced by Raouf sending so many invalids and 
others to Khartoum without orders. The treacherous trader had also 
done all he could to paralyze the expedition, and things did not look 
hopeful. Baker, however, determined not to be beaten, and he made an 
expedition to the last cataracts of the White Nile. The result was a peace 
with the Baris ; the swift steed and the Snider rifles had subdued the tribes ; 
Abou Saood and his people had departed. 

An expedition to *Jie South was now determined on, and, full »> f confi 



116 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS, 

dence, Baker set out to open the communication with the Albert 
Nyanza. 

Says Baker : I knew the risks and the responsibility of this undertak- 
ing; but I could not remain passive. I had often got through difficul- 
ties, and if risks are to be measured in Africa by ordinary calculations* 
there would be little hope of progress. 

Should my small force meet with defeat or destruction, both the mili- 
tary and civil world would exclaim, " Served him right ! the expedition tc 
the interior made under such circumstances showed a great want of judg= 
ment — a total ignorance of the first rules in military tactics. What could 
he expect, without an established communication, at a distance of three or 
four hundred miles from his base ? Simple madness ! — not fit to com- 
mand ! " 

I determined to carry as large a supply of ammunition as could be 
transported, together with sufficient merchandise, carefully assorted, to 
establish a legitimate ivory trade in my old friend Kamrasi's country, 
Unyoro. 

I selected my officers and men, carefully avoiding Egyptians, with the 
exception of several true and well-tried men. Several of the officer? had 
served in Mexico under Marshal Bazaine. 

The Household. 

Our servants had much improved. The Negro boys who had been 
liberated had grown into most respectable lads, and had learned to wait 
at table, and to do all the domestic work required. First of the boys in 
intelligence was the Abyssinian, Amarn. This delicate little fellow was 
perfectly civilized, and always looked forward to accompanying his mis- 
tress to England. The next was Saat, who had received that name in 
memory of my good boy who died during my former voyage. Saat was 
a very fine, powerful lad, who was exceedingly attached to me, but he 
was not quick at learning. Bellaal was a thick-set, sturdy boy of four- 
teen, with rather a savage disposition, but quick at learning. 

My favorite was Kinyon (the crocodile), the volunteer,. This was a 
very handsome Negro boy of the Bari tribe, who, being an orphan, came 
to my station and volunteered to serve me at the commencement of the 
Bari war. Kinyon was tall and slight, with a pair of very large, expres- 
sive eyes. The name Kinyon, or crocodile in the Bari language, had 
been given him because he was long and thin. Both he and Amarn were 
thoroughly good boys, and never received either chastisement or even a 
Scolding throughout a long expedition. 

Jarvah was also a good lad, who went by the name of the " fat boy." 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 117 

I should like to have exhibited him as a specimen of physical 
comfort. Jarvah had a good berth ; he was cook's mate. His superior 
was a great character, who, from the low position of a slave presented by 
the king of the Shillooks, had risen from cook's mate to the most import- 
ant position of the household. Abdullah was now the cook ! He had 
studied the culinary art under my first-rate Arab cook, who, having 
received his discharge, left the management of our stomachs to his pupil 
Abdullah was an excellent cook, and a very good fellow, but he was dull 
at learning Arabic. He invariably distinguished cocks and hens as 

u bulls " and " women." 

Little "Cuckoo." 

The last and the smallest boy of the household was little Cuckoo (01 
Kookoo). Cuckoo was a sturdy child about six years old : this boy 
had, I believe, run away from his parents in the Ban during the war, and 
had come to Morgian, our interpreter, when food was scarce among the 
tribe. Following the dictates of his appetite, he had been attracted by 
the savory smell of Abdullah's kitchen, and he had drawn nearer and 
nearer to our establishment, until at length by playing with the boys, 
and occasionally being invited to share in their meals, Cuckoo had 
become incorporated with the household. 

Abdullah and the six boys formed the native domestic corps. My 
wife, who was their commanding officer, had them all dressed in uniform. 
They had various suits of short, loose trowsers reaching half-way dow. i 
the calf of the leg, with a shirt or blouse secured at the waist with a 
leather belt and buckle. These belts were made in England, and were 
about six feet long ; thus they passed twice round the waist, and were 
very useful when travelling, in case of a strap and buckle being required 
suddenly. 

Tile uniforms were very becoming. There was dark blue trimmed 
with red facings ; pure white with red facings, for high days and holi- 
days; scarlet flannel suits complete; and a strong cotton suit dyed 
brown for traveling and rough wear. The boys were trained to change 
their clothes before they waited at the dinner-table, and to return to 
their working dresses after dinner, when washing up was necessary. In 
this habit they were rigidly particular ; and every boy then tied his din- 
ner suit in a parcel, and suspended it to the roof of his hut, to be ready 
for the next meal. There was a regular hour for every kind of work ; 
and this domestic discipline had so far civilized the boys that they were 
of the greatest possible comfort to ourselves. 

The washing-up after dinner was not a very long operation, as half & 



118 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

dozen plates and the same number of knives and forks, with a couple oi 
dishes, were divided among six servants. Directly after this work play 
was allowed. If the night were moonlight, the girls were summoned^ 
and dancing commenced. During the day their games were either play- 
ing at soldiers, or throwing lances at marks. 

Thieving was quite unknown among the boys, all of whom were 
scrupulously honest. The sugar might be left among them, or even 
milk ; but nouie of the boys I have mentioned would have condescended 
to steal. They had been so well instructed and cared for by my wife, 
that in many ways they might have been excellent examples for boys oi 
their class in civilized countries. 

The foregoing account of those who composed this new expedition for 

the South might be extended. Baker gives a very complete description 

of it. He advanced to Lobore, after a march full of incident, through a 

beautiful country. 

Remarkable Rock. 

Baker was careful to note everything of interest that transpired alonj 
his journey. Many marvels of nature might be described here, which are 
peculiar to the Tropics. 

Of course a country so extensive as Africa comprises all varieties of 
scenery. There is the beautiful landscape ; there is the broad and flowing 
^ver; there are the deep marshes and jungles; and there in some places 
{re mountains, if not the loftiest in the world, certainly of majestic pro- 
portions. And one advantage in following the great explorers through 
the Dark Continent is that we obtain a definite idea of the general appear- 
ance of the country and of the geological formations, and we emerge from 
this same Dark Continent feeling that we have been in a world of wonders. 
In one part of his expedition Baker came upon a very singular rock. 
It was a formation very unusual, called by the natives " table rock." It 
will be seen from the accompanying illustration that the projection of the 
table over the pedestal on which it stands is so great that cattle may find 
shelter under it. The rock forms a natural protection to man and beast 
This rock was considered so singular that an engraving of it has beer, 
made, and we here reproduce it. It is only one of many marvellous 
geological formations belonging to Africa. 

An Old Superstition, 

This rock must have chanced to fall upon a mass of extremely hare 

cla/. The wearing away of the sloping surface, caused by the heavy 

rains of many centuries, must be equal to the present height of the clay 

pedestal, as all the exterior has been washed away, and the level reduced 




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120 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

The clay pedestal is the original earth, which, having been protected 
from the weather by the stone roof, remains intact. 

The Baris, says Baker, seemed to have some reverence for this stone j 
and we were told that it was dangerous to sleep beneath it, as many peo- 
ple who had tried the experiment had died. I believe this superstition is 
simply the result of some old legends concerning the death of a person 
who may have been killed in his sleep by a stone that probably detached 
and fell from the under surface of the slab. I examined the rock care* 
fully, and found many pieces that gave warning of scaling off. Several 
large flakes, each weighing some hundred-weight, lay beneath the table 
rock, upon the under surface of which could be distinctly traced the 
mould of the slab beneath. 

On the March. 

At length Baker arrived at Fatiko, where his old enemy, Abou Saood, 
again endeavored to annoy him and thwart the expedition. His treachery 
was afterwards carried to greater lengths. 

On all these marches game of various kinds was found, and many 
exciting captures are related. The following thrilling account is given in 
Baker's own words : 

I had been observing the country for some time from my high station, 
when I suddenly perceived two rhinoceroses emerge from a ravine ; they 
walked slowly through a patch of high grass, and skirted the base of the 
hill upon which we were standing ; presently they winded something, 
and they trotted back and stood concealed in the patch of grass. 
Although I had a good view of them from my present position, I knew 
that I should not be able to see them in their covert if on the same level ; 
I therefore determined to send to the tent for my other horses, and to ride 
them down if I could not shoot them on foot; accordingly, I sent a man 
off, directing him to lead the horse I had been riding from the peak and 
to secure him to a tree at the foot of the hill, as I was afraid the rhinoce- 
ros might observe the horse upon the sky line. This he did. and we saw 
him tie the horse by the bridle to the branch ol a tree below us, while he 
ran quickly towards the camp. 

In the meantime I watched the rhinoceroses ; both animals laid down 
in the yellow grass, resembling masses of stone. They had not been 
long in this position before we noticed two pigs wandering through the 
grass directly to windward, toward the sleeping rhinosceroses ; in an instant 
these animals winded the intruders, and starting up they looked in all 
directions but could not see them, as they were concealed by the high 
grass. 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 121 

Having been thus disturbed, the rhinosceroses moved their quarters 
and walked slowly forward, occasionally halting and listening ; one was 
about a hundred yards in advance of the other. They were taking a 
direction at the base of the hill that would lead them directly upon the spot 
where my horse was tied to the tree. I observed this to one of my men, 
as I feared they would kill the horse. " Oh, no," he replied, " they will lie 
down and sleep beneath the first tree, as they are seeking for shade— the 
sun is like fire." 

The Rhinoceros Attacks the Horse. 

However, they still continued their advance, and upon reaching some 
rising ground, the leading rhinoceros halted, and I felt sure that he had 
a clear view of the horse, that was now about five hundred yards distant^ 
tied to the tree. A ridge descended to the hill, parallel with the course 
the animals were taking ; upon this I ran as quickly as the stony slope 
permitted, keeping my eye fixed upon the leading rhinoceros, which, with 
his head raised, was advancing directly towards the horse. I now felt 
convinced that he intended to attack it. The horse did not observe the 
rhinoceros, but was quietly standing beneath the tree. I ran as fast as I 
was able, and reached the bottom of the hill just as the willful brute was 
within fifty yards of the horse, which now for the first time saw the 
approaching danger ; the rhinoceros had been advancing steadily at a 
walk, but he now lowered his head and charged at the horse at full speed. 

I was about two hundred yards distant, and for the moment I was 
afraid of shooting the horse, but I fired one of my rifles, and the bullet, miss- 
ing the rhinoceros, dashed the sand and stones into his face as it struck 
the ground exactly before his nose, when he appeared to be just into the 
unfortunate horse. The horse in the same instant reared, and breaking 
the bridle, dashed away in the direction of the camp, while the rhinoceros, 
astonished at the shot, and most likely half blinded by the sand and 
splinters of rock, threw up his head, turned round, and trotted back upon 
the track by which he had arrived. He passed me about a hundred 
yards distant, as I had run forward to a bush, by which he trotted with 
his head raised, seeking for the cause of his discomfiture. 
" Reeling' to and Fro." 

Crack ! went a bullet against his hide, as I fired my remaining oarref 
at his shoulder ; he cocked his tail, and for a few yards charged towards 
the shot ; but he suddenly changed his course and ran round several 
times in a small circle ; he then halted, and reeling to and fro, retreated 
very sic wly, and laid down about a hundred yards off. I knew that he 
had his quietus, but I was determined to bag his companion, which in 



122 



WONDERS OE THE TROPICS 



alarm had now joined him, and stood looking in all quarters for the scent 
of danger; but we were well concealed behind the bush. 




Presently the wounded rhinoceros stocd up, and, wa.king very slowly, 
followed by his comrade, he crossed a portion of rising ground at the 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 123 

base of the hill, and both animals disappeared. I at once started off 
one of my men, who could run like an antelope, in search of the horse, 
while I despatched another man to the summit of the peak to see if the 
rhinoceroses were in view ; if not, I knew they must be among the small 
trees and bushes at the foot of the hill. I thus waited for a long time s 
until at length the two greys arrived with my messenger from the camp. 
I tightened the girths of the Arab saddle, and had just mounted, cursing 
all Arab stirrups, that are only made for the naked big toe, when my 
eyes were gladdened by the sight of my favorite animal cantering 
towards me, but from the exact direction the rhinoceroses had taken. 
" Quick ! quick !" cried the rider, " come along ! One rhinoceros is 
lying dead close by, and the other is standing beneath a tree not far off." 

I immediately started, found the rhinoceros lying dead about two 
hundred yards from the spot where he had received the shot, and I 
immediately perceived the companion standing beneath a small tree. The 
ground was firm and stony, and all the grass had been burnt off except 
in a few small patches ; the trees were not so thick together as to form a 
regular jungle. 

«« The Rhinoceros Lay Kicking on the Ground." 

The rhinoceros saw us directly, and valiantly stood and faced me as 1 
rode up within fifty yards of him. I was unable to take a shot in this 
position, therefore I ordered the men to ride round a half-circle, as I knew 
the rhinoceros would turn towards the white horses and thus expose his 
flank ; this he did immediately, and firing well, exactly at the shoulder, 
- dropped him as though stone dead. The rhinoceros lay kicking upon 
the ground, and I thought he was bagged. Not a bit of it ! the bullet 
had not force to break the massive shoulder-bone, but had merely 
paralyzed it for the moment; up he jumped and started off in full gallop. 
Now for a hunt ! up the hill he started, then obliquely ; choosing a 
"egular rhinoceros path, he scudded away, my horse answering to the 
spur and closing with him ; through the trees, now down the hill ovet 
the loose rocks, where he gained considerably upon the horse. I took 
a pull at the reins until I reached the level ground beneath, which was 
firm and first-rate. This gave me just the advantage I needed for sue- 
cesslul operations. 

I saw the rhinoceros pelting away about a hundred and twenty yards 
ahead, and spurring hard, 1 shot up to him at full speed until within 
twenty yards, when round he came with astonishing quickness and 
charged straight at the horse. I was prepared for this, as was my horse 
also; we avoided him by a quick turn, and again renewed the chase, and 



124 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS 

regained ©uf position within a few yards of the game. Thus tne hunt 
eontinued for about a mile and a half, the rhinoceros occasionally charg- 
ing, but always cleverly avoided by the horse, which seemed to enjoy the 
fun, and hunted like a greyhound. Nevertheless I had not been able to 
pass the rhinoceros ; he had thundered along at a tremendous pace when > 
ever I had attempted to close ; however, the pace began to tell upon hij 
wounded shoulder ; he evidently went lame, and as I observed at some 
distance before us the commencement of the dark-colored rotten ground, 
1 felt sure that it would shortly be a case of " stand still." In this I was 
correct, and upon reaching the deep and crumbling soil, he turned sharp 
around, made a clumsy charge that I easily avoided, and stood panting at 
bay. One of my men was riding a very timid horse which was utterly 
useless as a hunter, but, as it reared and plunged upon seeing the rhi- 
noceros, that animal immediately turned towards it with the intention of 
charging. Riding close to his flank, I fired both barrels of my rifle nntc 
the shoulder ; he fell at the shots, and stretching out his legs convulsively 
he died immediately. 

This was a capital termination to the hunt, as I had expected the death 
of my good horse, when the first rhinoceros had so nearly horned him. 
The sun was like a furnace, therefore I rode straight to camp and sent 
men and camels for the hides and flesh. As I passed the body of the 
first rhinoceros, I found a regiment of vultures already collected around it 

Arrival in Unyoro. 

Passing on, Baker reached Masindi, in Unyoro. The king was visited, 
and he expressed pleasure at Baker's arrival. He also gave accounts ol 
the bad behavior of Abou Saood. The king is described as an " undig- 
nified lout of twenty years of age, who thought himself a great monarch." 
He turned out a spy, and was evidently not to be trusted. The natives 
were suspicious, Abou Saood treacherous, and the position in Masindi 
was becoming more strained. However, Unyoro was annexed to the 
Khedive's dominions with some ceremony ; but after a while, some poi- 
soned plantain cider having been sent as a present, and nearly proved 
fatal to many, Baker prepared for resistance. But ere he could lay his 
plans, the natives suddenly rose, and a fierce conflict ensued. 

The battle lasted an hour and a quarter : the natives were defeated, 
their capital destroyed. Baker lost several men, and his valued servant 
Mansoor amongst them. The march was continued to Foweera, on the 
Victoria Nile, fighting all the time ; and while at that place Baker heard 
how Abou Saood had planned the attack and the poisoning at Masindi. 
Until January, 1873, Baker and his brave wife remained in the country 5 



A RENOWNED EXPEDITION. 125 

using severe discipline ; but at last peace and prosperity were estab- 
lished, 

Abou Saood was put in irons and sent to Cairo ; but he was set free 
o trouble Colonel " Chinese " Gordon, who succeeded Baker, and whos% 
expedition resulted in important consequences to Central Africa. 

Colonel Gordon reached Khartoum in March, 1874, and met the same 
31 sudd,' 5 or vegetable obstruction, on the White Nile. The dam broke, 
Ifcnd carried shfps and animals for miles. The scene is described as ter* 
rifle. Gordon quickly reached Gondokoro after this. He was accom* 
panied by Geori, an Italian ; Colonel Mason, Purdy Bey, and Colonel 
Long, Americans. Visits were made, and geographical observations 
and discoveries pursued. Darfour was conquered, and its cruel blind 
ruler made captive. Gordon returned to England in 1879, and went to 
India. When, in 1884, on the point of proceeding to the Congo for the 
International Association, he was dispatched by the Liberal Govern- 
ment to pacify the Soudan. Hostilities were excited against him and he 
lost his life, a brave hero to the last. 

For a long time there was a vast amount of speculation concerning 
Gordon's fate. The difficulty of obtaining news from the Soudan pre- 
vented the outside world from arriving at a definite conclusion as tc 
whether he had been murdered or was still living. The miraculous 
escapes he had already experienced, the wonderful nerve and resolution 
characterizing him, $ie charmed life he had hitherto lived, overcoming 
all obstacles, escaping from all plots, and proving himself apparently 
superior to death itself, threw around him such an almost superhuman 
character that it was believed he must still be living, although news came 
of his death. Slowly the world was compelled to accept the unwelcomti 
intelligence that the great hero of the Soudan, the most marvelous fig- 
are standing against the sky of the Orient r had fallen before the spftY? 

sf ^bfoes. 

•14 



CHAPTER VI. 
TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 

Speke and Grant on the March— Soldiers and Hottentots — Red Flannel and W00I5 
Heads — Dividing the Duties of the Expedition— Strike for Higher Wages- 
Rogues and Robbers— Excessive Politeness to Women —Polishing the Afrtcar. 
Skin — Natives Who Run and Hide— Black Boys Badly Scared — Speke on 8 
Rhinoceros Hunt— Desperate Struggle to Obtain a Prize — Hunter Tossed ;Sky< 
ward — An Extraordinary Animal — Use of the Rhinoceros Horn — Peculiar Eyes- 
Habits of the Great Beast— A Match for the Swiftest Horse — A Hot Pursuit- 
Singular and Fatal Wound — A Rhinoceros in London — The Wild Beast Tamed— 
Fire-eating Monster — The Explorers Meet a Rogue — Kind Attentions of an Old 
Friend — Singular African Etiquette — How a Wife Welcomes Her Husband Back 
From a Journey — Murder and Plunder — Speke Obtains Freedom for a Slave- 
Horrid Cannibals— A Popular African Drink— How " Pomba " is Made — Arrival 
at Mininga— A Leader Who Was Named " Pig "—Obstinacy and Stupidity- 
Chief Who Wanted to See a White Man— Sly Tricks of the " Pig "—A Steady 
Old Traveller — Illness of the Explorer— Reception by a Friendly Chief— Alarm 
ing News — Persistent Demands for Tribute — Necklaces of Coral Beads — Th« 
Explorer's Guides Forsake Him — Hurried Tramp of Men — Arrival of Gt-antV 
Porters. 

lAPTAIN SPEKE, who had already made two expeditions into 

Africa — on the second of which he discovered the great lake, 

Victoria Nyanza — started, on the 30th of July, 1858, on a third 

expedition, in the hopes of proving that the Nile has its source 

in that lake. He was accompanied by an old Indian brother officer, 

Captain Grant. 

Having reached the island of Zanzibar, where some time was spent in 
collecting a sufficient band of followers, they left Zanzibar on the 25th of 
September, in a corvette placed at their disposal by the sultan, and 
crossed over to Bagamoyo, on the mainland. 

They had, as their attendants, ten men of the Cape Mounted Rifles, 
who were Hottentots ; a native commandant, Sheikh Said ; five old black 
sailors, who spoke Hindostanee; in addition to Bombay, Speke's former 
attendant, factotum, and interpreter, a party of sixty-folir Wagnana 
blacks, emancipated from slavery; and fifteen porters of the interior. 
The two chief men, besides Said, were Bombay and Baraka, who com- 
manded the Zanzibar men. Fifty carbines were distributed among the 
elder men of the party, and the .sheikh was armed with a double-barrelled 
rifle, given to him by Captain Speke. The sultan also sent, as 3 guarV 

126 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 127 

of honor, twenty-five Beloochs, with an officer, to escort them as far as 
Uzaramo, the country of the Wazaramo. They had also eleven mules to 
carry ammunition, and five donkeys for the sick. 

Their whole journey was to be performed on foot. As there were no 
^oads, their luggage was carried on the backs of men. 
Red Flannel and. Wooly Heads. 

Some time was spent among the porters in squabbling, and arranging 
£heir packs. Their captain, distinguishable by a high head-dress of 
jstrich plumes stuck through a strip of scarlet flannel, led the march, 
flag in hand, followed by his gang of wooly-haired negroes, armed with 
spears or bows and arrows, carrying their loacfe either secured to three- 
pronged sticks or, when they consisted of brass or copper wire, hung at 
each end of sticks laid on the shoulder. The Waguana followed in 
helter-skelter fashion, carrying all sorts of articles, next came the Hot- 
tentots, dragging the mules with the ammunition, whilst lastly marched 
<"he sheikh and the Belooch escort, the goats and women, the .lick and 
..cragglers bringing up the rear. 

One of the Hottentot privates soon died, and five others were sent back 
sick. About thirty Seedees deserted, as did nearly all the porters, while 
the sheikh also soon fell sick. 

On the 2d of October, having bid farewell to Colonel Rigby, the Brit- 
ish consul at Zanzibar, who took deep interest in the expedition, and 
afforded it every assistance in his power, the march began. 

They had first before them a journey of five hundred miles to Caze, 
the capital of the country of the Moon. This was a small portion, how- 
ever, only of the distance to be performed. 

Captains Speke and Grant divided the duties of the expedition 
between them, the first mapping the country, which is done by timing 
the rate of march, taking compass-bearings, noting the water-shed, etc. 
Then, on arriving in camp, it was necessary to boil the thermometer to 
ascertain the altitude of the station above the sea-level, and the latitude 
by the meridional altitude of a star ; then, at intervals of sixty miles, 
lunar observations had to be taken to determine the longitude ; and 
lastly, there was the duty of keeping a diary, sketching, and making 
geological and zoological collections. Captain Grant made the botanical 
collections and had charge of the thermometer. He kept the rain-gauge 
and sketched with water colors, for it was found that photography was 
too severe work for the climate. 

The march was pursued before the sun was high, then came breaVfast 
and a pipe before exploring the neighborhood, and dinner at sunset, then 



128 



WONDERS OF THE TROHCS. 



tea and pipe before turning in at night. Scarcely had they commenced 
the journey than the petty chiefs demanded tribute, which it was neces- 
sary to pay. The porters also struck for higher wages ; but, the leaders 
going on, they thought better of the matter, and followed. 

The poor Hottentots suffered much from the climate, and were con* 
stantly on the sick-list. The Waguana treated them with great contempt,, 
and one day, while a little Tot was trying to lift his pack on his mule, g 
large black grasped him, pack and all, in his muscular arms, lifting then] 
above his head, paraded him around the camp amid much laughter, and 
then, putting him down, loaded his mule and patted him on the back. 




WAZARAMO VILLAGE. 

" A day's march being concluded, the sheikh and Bombay arrange the 
camp, issuing cloths to the porters for the purchase of rations, the tents 
Ere pitched, the Hottentots cook, some look after the mules and donkeys £ 
others cut boughs for huts and fencing, while the Beloochs are supposed 
to guard the camp, but prefer gossiping and brightening their arms, 
while Captain Grant kills two buck antelopes to supply the larder." 

The country through which they were passing belongs to the tribe of 
Wazaramo. It is covered with villages, the houses of which are mostly 
of a conical shape, composed of hurdle-work and plastered with clay, and 
thatched with grass or reeds. They profess to be the subjects of the 
Sultan of Zanzibar. They are arrant rogues, and rob travellers, whe# 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 129 

they can, by open violence. They always demand more tribute than 
they expect to get, and generally use threats as a means of extortion. 
One of their chiefs, the Lion-Claw, was very troublesome, sending back 
the presents which had been made him, and threatening dire vengeance 
if his demands were not complied with. Further on, Monkey's-TaiL 
another chief, demanded more tribute ; but- Speke sent word that he 
should smell his powder if he came for it ; and, exhibiting the marks* 
manshipof his men, Monkey's-Tail thought better of it, and got nothing 
Excessive Politeness to Women. 

The people, though somewhat short, are not bad-looking. Though 
their dress is limited, they adorn themselves with shells, pieces oftin i 
and beads, and rub their bodies with red clay and oil, till their skins 
appear like new copper. Their hair is wooly, and they twist it into a 
number of tufts, each of which is elongated by the fibres of bark. They 
have one good quality, not general in Africa : the men treat the women 
with much attention, dressing their hair for them, and escorting them to 
the water, lest any harm should befall them. 

Kidunda was soon reached. Hence the Belooch escort was sent back 
the next day, with the specimens of natural history which had been col- 
lected. Proceeding along the Kinganni River they reached the country 
of the Usagara, a miserable race, who, to avoid the slave-hunters, build 
their village on the tops of hills, and cultivate only just as much land 
aiSijng them as will supply their wants. Directly a caravan appears, 
they take to flight and hide themselves, never attempting resistance if 
overtaken. Their only dress consists of a strip of cloth round the 
waist. 

Captain Grant was here seized with fever, and the sickness of the Hot- 
tentots much increased. A long day's march from the hilly Usagara 
country led the party into the comparatively level land of Ugogo. Food 
was scarce, the inhabitants living on the seed of the calabash to save 
their stores of grain. 

The country has a wild aspect, well in keeping with the natives who 
occupy it. The men never appeared without their spears and shields, 
They are fond of ornaments, the ordinary one being a tube of gourc 
thrust through the lower lobe of the ear. Their color is somewhat like 
(that of a rich plum. Impulsive and avaricious, they forced their way into 
the camp to obtain gifts, and thronged the road as the travellers passed by. 
|eering, quizzing, and pointing at them. 

Later they encamped on the eastern border of the largest clearing in 
Ugogo, called Kanyenye, stacking their loads beneath a large gouty- 1 

W. A.— 9 




130 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 131 

limbed tree. Here eight of the Wanyamuezi porters absconded, carry- 
ing off their loads, accompanied by two Wagogo boys. 

Speke went to shoot a hippopotamus at night. Having killed one, two 
more approached in a stealthy, fidgety way. Stepping out from his 
shelter, with the two boys carrying his second rifle, he planted a ball in 
the largest, which brought him round with a roar in the best position foi' 
receiving a second shot ; but, on turning round to take his spare rifle 
Speke found that the black boys had scrambled off like monkeys up a 
tree, while the hippopotamus, fortunately for him, shuffled away without 
charging. 

He hurried back to let his people know that there was food for them 
that they might take possession of it before the hungry Wagogo could 
find it. Before, however, they had got the skin off the beast, the natives 
assembled like vultures, and began fighting the men. The scene, though 
grotesque, was savage and disgusting in the extreme ; they fell to work 
with swords and hatchets, cutting and slashing, thumping and bawling, 
up to their knees in the middle of the carcass. When a tempting morsel 
was obtained by one, a stronger would seize it and bear off the prize — 
right was now might. Fortunately no fight took place between the 
(ravellers and the villagers. The latter, covered with blood, were seen 
scampering home, each with a part of the spoil. 
Hunter Tossed Skyward, 

A dangerous brute to encounter is the rhinoceros. He is ferocious, 
swift, strong, with a very tough hide, and whether his foe is man or beast, 
he is not likely to come out second best in a combat. The following 
account of what befel a party of travellers will show the fury of this 
Tropical brute. 

The narrator says : "As meat was wanted, several of the party pro- 
posed to set off at an early hour to bring in some from the animals we 
had killed. As I did not like to be left behind, I begged to be allowed 
to mount a horse and to ride with them. I should have been wiser to 
have remained quietly at the camp, but I wanted to revisit the scene of 
our encounter the previous day. Several of the blacks followed behind, who 
were to be loaded with our spoils. As we neared the spot, I heard my friends 
exclaiming in various tones : ' Where is it ? What has become of the 
creature ? ' and, pushing forward, I caught sight of the elephant and the 
dead lion at a distance, but nowhere was the rhinoceros to be seen. 
It was very evident that it could not have been killed as we had sup- 
posed, and that, having only been stunned, it, at length, recovered itself 
and had made off. 



132 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



" Toko, one of the party, cried out that he had discovered fts trail, 
and I saw him hurrying forward, evidently hoping to find the creature. 
The other blacks meanwhile set to work to cut out the tusks, and select 
a few slices off such parts of the body as were most to their taste locitsd" 
log the feet, the value of which we knew from experience. 







THE ANIMAL SENT HIM INTO THE AIR. 

, a While they were thus occupied, my three white friends were fou?y m 
Haying the lion. I kept my eye on Toko, expecting that s should he dis- 
cover the rhinoceros, he would summon some of the party to his assist 
ance. I saw him look suspiciously into a thicket, then he turned to fly 
The next moment a huge beast rushed out, which I had no doubt was 
the rhinoceros we fancied that we had killed, on the previous day. Toko 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 133 

made for a tree behind which he could shelter himself. I called to my 
friends to draw their attention to the danger in which he was placed, but 
to my dismay before he could reach the tree the rhinoceros was upon 
him. There was no time to leap either to the one side or the other, but 
as the animal's sharp horn was about to transfix him, he made a spring 
as if to avoid it, but he was not in time, and the animal, throwing up his 
fiead, sent him and his rifle floating into the air to the height of several feet 

" The rhinoceros then charged on towards the men cutting up the 
elephant, when my uncle and his companions, having seized their rifles^ 
began blazing away at it. Fortunately, one of their shots took effect, 
and before it had reached the blacks, down it sank to the ground. 

" I had ridden up to the native, expecting to find every bone in his 
body broken. As I approached, to my satisfaction, I saw him get up; 
and though he limped somewhat, after shaking himself and picking up 
his rifle, he declared that he was not much the worse for the fearful toss 
he had received, and was as ready as ever for work. 

" He soon rejoined the rest of the men, and assisted in packing the 
oxen with the tusks and meat. Some of the flesh of the rhinoceros was 
also cut off, and with the lion-skin packed up. Rhinoceros meat, though 
tough, is of good flavor. The portions we carried off were from the 
upper part of the shoulder and from the ribs, where we found the fat and 
lean regularly striped to the depth of two inches. Some of the skin was 
also taken for the purpose of making some fresh ox-whips. We of 
course carried away the horns, which are about half the value of ivory. 
Altogether, the adventure which at one time appeared likely to prove so 
disastrous, afforded us no small amount of booty." 
An .Extraordinary Animal. 

The following description of the rhinoceros, as seen by Speke and 
Grant, may appropriately be given here : 

Both varieties of the African black rhinoceros are extremely fierce and 
dangerous, and rush headlong and unprovoked at any object which 
attracts their attention. They never attain much fat, and their flesh is 
lough, and not much esteemed. Their food consists almost entirely of the 
thorny branches of the " wait-a-bit " thorns. Their horns are much shortei 
than those of the other varieties, seldom exceeding eighteen inches in 
length. They are finely polished by constant rubbing against the trees. 
The skull is remarkably formed, its most striking feature being the tre- 
mendous, thick ossification in which it ends above the nostrils. It is on 
this mass that the horn is supported. The horns are not connected with 
the skull, being attached merely by the skin, and they may thus be sep- 



134 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

aratcd from the head by means of a sharp knife. They are hard, and 
perfectly solid throughout, and are a fine material for various articles, 
such as drinking-cups, mallets for rifles, and handles for turners' tools. 
The horn is capable of a very high polish. 

The eyes of the rhinoceros are small and sparkling, but do not readily 
observe the hunter, provided he keep to leeward of therm The skin is 
sxtremply thick, and only to be penetrated with bullets hardened with 
solder. During the day, the rhinoceros will be found lying asleep, of 
standing indolently in some retired part of the forest, or under the base 
of the mountains, sheltered from the power of the sun by some friendly 
grove of umbrella-topped mimosas. In the evening they commence their 
nightly ramble, and wander over a great extent of country. They usually 
visit the fountains between the hours of nine and twelve o'clock at 
night, and it is on these occasions that they may be most successfully 
hunted, and with the least danger. 

The black rhinoceros is subject to paroxysms of unprovoked fury, often 
plowing up the ground for several yards with its horn, and assaulting 
large bushes in the most violent manner. On these bushes they work fc 
hours with their horns, at the same time snorting and blowing loudly , 
'p.or do they leave them in general until they have broken them into 
pieces. All the four varieties delight to roll and wallow in the mud, with 
which their rugged hides are generally encrusted. 

A Match for the Swiftest Horse. 

Both varieties of the black rhinoceros are much smaller and more 
active than the white, and are so swift that a horse with a rider on its 
back can rarely overtake them, yet they are often hunted with horses. 
Both attain an enormous size, being the animals next in magnitude to the 
elephant. They feed solely on grass, carry much fat, and their flesh is 
excellent, being preferable to beef. They are of a much milder and more 
inoffensive disposition than the black rhinoceros, rarely charging their 
pursuel Their speed is very inferior to that of the other varieties. 

If we examine the skull of a rhinoceros, we shall find that just under the 
place where the root of the horn lies, there is a peculiar development of 
the bone on which the weight of the horn rests. Now, it is well known 
that of all forms intended to support great weight, the arch is the strongs 
est. Such, then, is the form of the bone which supports the horn; and 
in order to prevent the jar on the brain which would probably injure the 
animal when making violent strokes with the horn, one side of the arch is 
left unsupported by its pillar ; so that the whole apparatus presents the 
appearance of A strong bony spring, which, although very powerful, would 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS 



135 



yield sufficiently, on receiving a blow, to guard the animal from the shock 
which would occur were the horn to be placed directly on the skull. 



■ 



H 



IBI 





isiiiiiiMsE 


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|||| 


-*■■ V. >J 


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■Sill 




Such a structure as this is not needed in the case of the elephant, as that 
animal never strikes violently with its tusks, as the rhinoceros does with 
its horn. 



136 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

That such is the intention of the structure is well shown by a curious 
circumstance that took place during a rhinoceros-hunt, and which shows 
that the animal can suffer severely from a blow on the horn, if that blow 
is given in a different method from that which the creature is in the habll 
of enduring. 

A Hot Pursuit. 

Some hunters were engaged in the pursuit of the rhinoceros, and 
toad roused one of the animals from the thicket in which it wa£ 
engaged in rubbing itself against the trees, after the usual fashion of the 
creature. 

The skin, although thick, is very sensitive between the folds, and suffers 
much from the attacks of the mosquitoes and flies. The rhinoceros, to 
allay the irritation, rubs against trees, and has a curious custom of grunting 
loudly while performing this operation, and thus guides the hunter to its 
place of refuge. They are thus enabled to steal through the underwood 
unperceived, as the animal is too much engaged rubbing his sides to pay 
any attention to sounds which would at any other time send him off in 
alarm. By crawling along the ground, after the manner of serpents, they 
generally contrive to inflict a mortal wound before he is aware of their 
presence. 

In the present case, the hunters were endeavoring to act in the samt 
manner, but the intended victim became alarmed, broke through the wood, 
and made the best of his way towards a large cane-brake about two miles 
distant. The whole party pursued him, and the poor animal was speedily 
overtaken. 

The number and severity of the wounds appear to have confused his 
brain, for instead of keeping his straight course towards the canes, he 
turned off short, and dashed into a narrow gully without any exit. The 
ravine was so narrow that he broke to pieces many of the protruding 
spears as he rushed in, and when he had fairly entered, there was barely 
room to turn. The assailants now had it all their own way, and one ol 
them standing on the brink of the ravine took aim at his head, and 
stretched him on the ground apparently lifeless. But scarcely had they 
done this when the animal recovered from his wound, and struggled 
upon his knees. Out went the hunters as fast as they could, and had it 
not been for the presence of mind of one of them, who hamstrung the 
rhinoceros before he ran away, in all probability several of the men would 
have forfeited their lives. 

Curiosity induced the hunters to search for the wound that had thus 
stunned the animal, and they naturally expected to find the track oi a 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 137 

ball through the brain, or, at all events, a wound on the skull ; but after 
some search, they found that the ball had only struck the point of the 
foremost horn, and had carried off about an inch of it. 

This is a very curious circumstance, because the blow was a compara- 
tively slight one, and the shocks which the animal inflicts upon itself io 
the daily occurrences of life must be very severe indeed. But the whole 
structure of the head and horn is intended to resist heavy blows, while if 
Is not capable of sustaining a sharp, smart shock without conveying the 
impression to the brain. 

Interesting Brutes. 

About a hundred and fifty years ago, one of these big beasts was 
brought to London from Bengal. He was a very costly animal ; though 
only two years old five thousand dollars were expended in providing him 
with food and drink. Every day he ate seven pounds of rice mixec" with 
three pounds of sugar, divided into three portions. He also ate plenti- 
fully of hay, but he much preferred fresh vegetables, grass and herbs. 
He drank a great deal of water. He was so quiet and well-behaved 
that he let people handle him, unless he was annoyed, or wanted his 
breakfast. The well-known specimen in the Zoological Gardens in 
London couldn't bear the noise of the roller used in keeping the gravel 
pathway in order which adjoined his den ; his hearing was very quick, 
so that even while enjoying his dinner he stopped, and started aside, to 
listen. 

Bingley gives the following account of a rhinoceros brought to Eng- 
land in 1790. It was then about five years old. It was somewhat 
tamed ; it would walk about when desired to do so by its keeper ; it 
would let visitors pat its back. Its daily allowance w&j twenty-eight 
pounds of clover, the same quantity of ship biscuit, and an enormous 
amount of greens. It was fond of sweet wines, and would drink four or 
five bottles in a few hours. He made nothing of drinking fifteen pails of 
water in the course of a day. If he saw a person with fruit or any food 
that he was fond of, he would ask for a share, in a very pretty manner 
for so huge a beast, making a noise somewhat like the bleating of a call, 
He died of inflammation, caused by slipping the joint of one of his fore 
tegs. Some doctors made openings in his skin, in order to relieve his 
pain. These were always found quite healed up in the course of twenty- 
four hours. 

There is no doubt that the elephant and rhinoceros sometimes fight to- 
gether madly, when they are in a wild state. Some years ago there was 
a specimen in the Regent's Park Gardens, that contrived to get into tho 



138 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



den of an old elephant there. They were afterwards the best friends in 
the world, and it was amusing to see how quiet the rhinoceros would 
stand while his great friend scrubbed his back with his trunk, and occa- 
sionally gratified himself by a sly pull at his tail, to make the rhinoceros 
turn his head, if his attention was taken off by visitors. 

We have said that the horn is not fastened to the skull, but simply 
connected with his skin. It is not generally known that it can be removed 
by passing a sharp knife round its base. The skin is so strong and thick, 
that it can only be pierced by bullets of a peculiar make. The Negroes 
of Africa know this perfectly well, and make it into shields and bucklers,, 
His playful antics are somewhat useful ; thus he will poke his hoM ? i»tp 



WSmmm 

wmm. 




PUT TO FLIGHT BY A SUDDEN CHARGE. 

the ground, and then driving it along at a great rate, pushing with afl his 
mighty force and strength, he will make a furrow broader and deeper 
than that of a plough. Those who have watched his habits tell us that 
he does this, not because he is in a passion, but in the pure enjoyment 
of health and spirits ; just as when a little boy or girl, or dog or kitten 
scampers about a lawn. 

Some species of this animal are wild, and can be easily tamed ; the 
powerful Indian rhinoceros is the shyest, and the double-horned the 
wildest. Mason, in his work, entitled "Burmah," remarked that the 
common single-horned rhinoceros is very abundant. The double-horned 
is not uncommon in the southern provinces; and then he alludes to the 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 139 

fire-eater of the Burmans, as distinguished from the common single- 
horned kind. The fire-eating rhinoceros, he tells us, is so called from 
its attacking the night fires of travellers, scattering the burning embers, 
and doing other mischief, being attracted by unusual noises, instead of 
fleeing from them as most wild animals do. Professor Oldham's camp- 
fire was attacked by a rhinoceros, which he fired at with a two-ounce 
ball ; and three days afterwards the body was found, and proved to be oi 
ihe two-horned species. The skull of that individual is now in the mus- 
eum of Trinity College, Dublin. The commonest of the African rhinoc« 
eroses has been known to manifest the same propensity, and so has even 
the ordinary American tapir. In general, however, the Asiatic two- 
horned rhinoceros is an exceedingly shy and timid animal, and one 01 
*he largest size has been seen to run away from a single wild dog. 
The Explorers Meet a Rogue. 

Returning to our narrative of Speke and Grant, we find that the Sheikh 
Magomba did his utmost to detain them, sending his chief, Wazir, in an 
apparently friendly manner, to beg that they would live in his palace. 
The bait, however, did not cake — Speke knew the rogue too well. Next 
day the sheikh was too drunk to listen to anyone, and thus day aftet 
day passed by. The time was employed in shooting, and a number of 
animals were killed. Magomba, however, induced nearly all ol the 
porters to decamp, and there was great difficulty in obtaining others to 
take their places. An old acquaintance, whom they met in a caravan, 
urged them not to attempt to move, as he thought that it would be 
impossible for them to pass through the wilderness depending only on 
Speke and Grant's guns for their support. 

Still Speke resolved to push on, and most of the men who had deserted 
came back. To keep up discipline, one of the porters, who had stolen 
seventy -three yards of cloth, which was found in his kit, received three 
dozen lashes, and, being found to be a murderer and a bad character, he 
was turned out of camp. 

They spent New Year's Day at Round Rock, a village occupied by a 
few Wakimbu, who, by their qi/et and domestic manners, made them 
feel that they were out of the forest. Provisions were now obtained by 
sending men to distant villages ; but they were able to supply the camp 
with their guns, killing rhinoceros, wild boar, antelope and zebra. 

In January they entered Unyamuezi, or the country of the moon t 
inferior in size to England, but cut up into numerous petty states. The 
name is abreviated to Weezee. 

Next day they reached Caze, where Speke had remained long on a 




140 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 141 

former visit. His old friend, Musa, came out to meet: them, and escorted 
them to his " tembe," or house, where he invited them to reside till he 
could find porters to carry their property to Karague, promising to go 
there with them himself. They found here also Sheikh Snay, who with 
other Arab merchants, came at once to call on them. Snay told him 
that he had an army of four hundred slaves prepared to march against 
the chief, Manua Sera, who was constantly attacking and robbing their 
caravans. Speke advised him not to make the attempt, as he was likely 
io get the worst of it. The other Arab merchant agreed that a treaty of 
peace would be better than fighting. 

Musa gave him much information about the journey northward, and 
promised to supply him with sixty porters from his slave establishment, 
by which arrangement Speke would have a hundred armed men to form 
his escort. Musa loudly praised Rumanika, the King of Karague, 
through whose dominions the expedition was to pass. 

Some time, however, was of necessity spent at Caze in making prepa- 
rations for the journey, the two travellers employing themselves during it 
in gaining information about the country. 

African Etiquette. 

The Wanyamuezi, among whom they were residing, are a polite race, 
having a complete code of etiquette for receiving friends or strangers ; 
drums are beat both on the arrival and departure of great people. When 
one chief receives another, he assembles the inhabitants of the village, 
with their drums and musical instruments, which they sound with all 
their might, and then dance for his amusement. The drum is used, like 
the bugle, on all occasions ; and, when the travellers wished to move, the 
drums were beaten as a sign to their porters to take up their burdens. 
The women courtesy to their chief, and men clap their hands and bow 
themselves. If a woman of inferior rank meets a superior, she drops on 
one knee and bows her head ; the superior then places her hand on the 
shoulder of the kneeling woman, and they remain in this attitude some 
moments, whispering a few words, after which they rise and talk freely, 

The Wanyamuezi, or, as they are familiarly called, the Weezee, are 
great traders, and travel to a considerable distance in pursuit of their 
business. 

When a husband returns from a journey, his favorite wife prepares to 
receive him in a peculiar manner. Having put on all her ornaments, to 
which she adds a cap of feathers, she proceeds, with her friends, to the 
principal wife of the chief, when, the lady coming forth, they all dance 
before her, taking care to be thus occupied when the husband makes 



142 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



his appearance, a band of music playing away and making as much nois# 
as possible with their instruments. 

In February news was brought that Sheikh Snay had carried out his 
intention of attacking Manua Sera, whom he found esconced in a house 
at Tura. Manua, however, made his escape, when Snay plundered the 
whole district, and shot and murdered every one he fell in with, carrying 
off a number of slaves. The chief, in consequence, threatened to attack 
Caze as soon as the merchants had gone off on their expeditions ir» 




DANCING PARTY TO WELCOME A RETURNING HUSBAND. 

search of ivory. Soon after this it was reported that Snay and othei 
Arabs had been killed, as well as a number of slaves. This proved to be 
true. 

Finding that nothing more could be done at Caze, the travellers^ 
assembling their caravan, commenced their march northward. At Mm- 
inga they were received by an ivory merchant named Sirboko. Here 
one of Sirboko's slaves, who had been chained up, addressed Speke, pit- 
eously exclaiming : " Oh, my lord, take pity on me ! When I was a 
free man, I saw you on the Tanganyika Lake ; my people were there 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 143 

attacked by the Watuta, and, being badly wounded, I was left for dead, 
when, recovering, I was sold to the Arabs. If you will liberate me, I 
will never run away, but serve you faithfully." Touched by this appeal, 
Speke obtained the freedom of the poor man from his master, and he was 
christened Farham, or Joy, and enrolled among the other free men. 

The abominable conduct of the Arabs, who persisted in attacking thfc 
natives and devastating the country, placed the travellers in an awkward 
position. The Hottentots, too, suffered so much from sickness that, ai 
the only kope of saving their lives, it was necessary to send th'im back 
to Zanzibar. Speke therefore found it necessary to return to Caze, 
which he reached in May, leaving Grant, who was ill, behind at 
Mining i. 

Horrid Cannibals. 

He here heard of a tribe of cannibals, who, when they cannot get 
human flesh, give a goat to their neighbors for a dying child, considering 
such as the best flesh. They are, however, the only cannibals in that 
district. 

They were still in the country of the Weezee, of whose curious customs 
they had an opportunity of seeing more. Both sexes are inveterate 
smokers. They quickly manufacture their pipes of a lump of clay and a 
green twig, from which they extract the pith. They all grow tobacco, 
the leaves of which they twist up into a thick rope like a hay-band,, and 
then coil it into a flattened spiral, shaped like a target. They are very 
fond of dancing. Meantime, the elders sit on the ground drinking 
"pomba." On one of these occasions the chief, who was present, drank 
more "pomba'' than any of the people. 

While the party were thus engaged, two lads, with zebra manes tied 
over their heads, and two bark tubes, formed like huge bassoons, in their 
hands, leaped into the centre of the dancers, twisting and turning and 
blowing their horns in the most extraordinary manner. The meo f 
women and children, inspired by the sound of the music, on this began 
to sing and clap their hands in time. 

" Pomba " is a sort of spirituous liquor, produced from a kind of grain 
grown in the country, which is cultivated by women, who nearly entirety 
superintend the preparation of the drink. 

They received a visit from Sultan Ukulkna, of Unyamuezi, a fine hate 
old man, who was especially fond of this beverage, drinking it all day 
long. He was pleasant enough in manner, and rather amusing when he 
happened not to be tipsy. Being fond of a practical joke, he used to 
beg for quinine, which he would mix slyly with "pomba," and then offer 



144 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

it to his courtiers, enjoying the wry faces they made when partaking o( 
the bitter draught. He used to go round to the houses of his subjects, 
managing to arrive just as the " pomba-"brewing was finished, when he 
would take a draught, and then go on to the next. He sometimes .sucked 
it through a reed, just as a sherry cobbler is taken, while one of his 
slaves held the jar before him. 

How "Pomba" is Made. 

The women and men do not drink it together. It is the custon 
hi the ladies to assemble in the house of the sultana, and indulge in it m 
her company. 

The women, as has been said, are employed in the cultivation 
of the grain from which it is made. When it is green, they cut ofi 
the ears with a knife. These are then conveyed to the village m 
baskets, and spread out in the sun to dry. The men next thrash out the 
grain with long, thin flails. It is afterwards stacked in the form of corn- 
ricks, raised from the ground on posts, or sometimes it is secured round 
a tall post, which is stuck upright in the ground, swelling out in the 
centre somewhat in the shape of a fisherman's float. When required for 
use, it is pounded in wooden mortars, and afterwards ground between 
two stones. 

Speke reached Mininga again, where he found Grant greatly recov- 
ered. During his absence three villagers had been attacked by a couple 
of lions. The men took to flight, and two gained the shelter of their 
hut, but the third, just as he was about to enter, was seized by the 
monsters and devoured. 

Difficulties of all sorts beset them : the chief was obtaining porters ; 
Musa, too, who pretended to be so friendly, did not keep faith with 
them ; but, rather than be delayed, Speke paid the beads demanded, and 
once more set ofE 

At length he obtained a leader with a droll name, which may be 
translated the Pig. He had frequently conducted caravans to Karague, 
and knew the languages of the country. He proved to be what his 
flame betokened — a remarkably obstinate and stupid fellow. 

Speke was still detained by the difficulty of procuring porters, some 
being engaged in harvest, while others declared that they feared the 
Watuta and other enemies in the districts through which they would 
have to pass. An Arab caravan which had followed them was in the 
same condition. 

At length, having obtained a part of the number he required, a camp 
aras formed at Phunze, where Grant, with Bombay to attend on him, 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 



145 



remained in charge of part of the baggage, while Speke, with the Pig as 
his guide and Baraka as his attendant, pushed on ahead. The chiefs of 
every district through which they passed demanded tribute, without 
which the travellers could not move forward. This caused numberless 
provoking delays, as the chiefs were often not content with what was 
offered to them. 

Early in June he arrived in a district governed by a chief called 
Myonga, famed for his extortions and infamous conduct, in consequence 
of which no Arabs would pass that way. On approaching his palace t 
war-drums were heard in every surrounding village. The Pig went 
forward to obtain terms for the caravan to pass by. Myonga replied 
that he wished to see a white man, as he had never yet set eyes on one, 




PECULIAR AFRICAN BULLOCK. 

and \.» juld have a residence prepared for him, Speke declined the favor, 
but sent Baraka to arrange the tribute. Baraka amused himself, as 
usual, for some hours, with firing off volleys of ammunition, and it was 
not till evening that the palace drums announced that the tribute had 
been settled, consisting of six yards of cloth, some beads, and other 
articles. On this Speke immediately gave orders to commence the 
march, but two cows had been stolen from the caravan, and the men 
declared that they would not proceed without getting them bac;k, 
Speke knew that if he remained more cloths would be demanded, and as 
soon as the cows arrived he gave them to the villagers. 

This raised a mutiny among his men, and the Pig would not show the 
Way, nor would a single porter lift his lo^d, Speke would not enter the 

W. A.— 10 



146 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

village, and his party remained, therefore outside all night. The next 
morning, as he expected, Myonga sent his prime minister, who declared 
that the ladies of his court had nothing to cover their nakedness, and 
that something more must be paid. This caused fresh difficulties, the 
drums beat, and at length, much against his inclination, Speke paid some 
more yards of cloth for the sake of Grant, who might otherwise hcNve 
'been annoyed by the scoundrel. 

The " Pig's" Dishonest Tricks. 

This is a specimen of some of the lighter difficulties which the trav« 
ellers had to encounter on their journey. Having passed a number of 
villages, they entered a tract of jungle in which a stream formed the 
boundary between the great country of the Moon and the kingdom o/ 
Uzinga. The district Speke next entered was ruled by two chieftains 
descended from Abyssinians. They were as great extortioners, however, 
as any of the pure Negro race. 

The Pig continued his tricks, and the travellers were heavily taxed and 
robbed at every step. The porters, too, refused to advance, declaring 
that they should be murdered, as the Watuta, their great enemies, were 
out on a foray; finally, they ran away and hid themselves. These 
Watutu, they said, were desperate fellows, who had invaded their coun- 
try and killed their wives and children, and had despoiled them of every- 
thing they held dear. Baraka also showed the white feather. Speke, 
However, put on a bold front, and declared that he would return to Caze 
and collect men who would not be afraid to accompany him to Usui. He 
carried his plan into execution, rejoined Grant, and obtained two fresh 
guides, Bui and Nasib, a steady old traveller. Still he was unable to 
obtain fresh porters to carry on his baggage, and he was onc<» mort 
obliged to part from Grant. 

Alarming News. 

Having gone some way, Speke was taking seriously ill, while, agaln s 
lis guides refused to proceed. This occurred while he was in the dis- 
trict of a chief, named Lumeresi, who insisted on his coming to his vil- 
lage, feeling jealous that he had remained in that of another inferioi 
chief. Lumeresi was not in when Speke arrived, but on his return, at 
night, he beat all his drums to celebrate the event, and fired a musket; 
m reply to which Speke fired three shots. The chief, however, though 
lie pretended to be very kind, soon began to beg for everything he saw, 
Speke, who felt that his best chance of recovering from his illness was 
change of a»r, ordered his men to prepare a hammock in which he might 
fee conveyed. Although he had already given the chief a handsome 



TWO CELEBRATED EXPLORERS. 147 

tribute, consisting of a red blanket, and a number of pretty, common 
cloths for his children, no sooner did he begin to move than Lumeresi 
placed himself in his way and declared that he could not bear the idea ol 
his white visitor going to die in the jungle. His true object, however, 
was to obtain a robe which Speke had determined not to give him. 
However, at length, rather than be detained, he presented the only one 
which he had preserved for the great chief, Rumanika, into whose terri- 
tories he was about to proceed. Scarcely had the chief received it, than 
ae insisted on a further tribute, exactly double what had previously been 
given him. Again Speke yielded, and presented a number of brass-wire 
bracelets, sixteen cloths, and a hundred necklaces of coral beads, which 
were to pay for Grant as well as himself. 

When about to march, however, Bui and Nasib were not to be found. 
On this, Speke determined to send back Bombay to Caze for fresh guides 
and interpreters, who were to join Grant on their return. 

In the meantime, while lying in a fearfully weak condition, reduced 
\most to a skeleton, he was startled, at midnight, out of his sleep by 
hearing the hurried tramp of several men. They proved to be Grant's 
porters, who, in short excited sentences, told him that they had left 
Grant standing under a tree with nothing but a gun in his hand; that 
his Wanguana porters had been either killed or driven away, having 
been attacked by Myonga's men, who had fallen upon the caravan and 
afoot, speared, and plundered the whole of it 



CHAPTER VII. 
WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 

African Village—Shelling Cora— Furniture in a Native's Hut— Peculiar Soctel 
Customs— Evening Dance— A Favorite Game— Weezee Boys and Their Bows and 
Arrows— Singular Mode of Shooting— Affectionate Greetings— Fine Models of the 
Human Form— Treatment of Slaves— A Happy Release— Avaricious Arabs— 
Horrible Punishments Inflicted Upon Offenders— Attacked by Black Robbers- 
Little Rohan, the Sailor— Boy's Bravery — Shooting Thieves— Speke and Grant at 
Karague— Combats with Wild Animals— Beautiful Scenery— Interesting Family 
of a King— Royal Fit of Merriment— Famous Fat Wives— Mode of Fattening 
Women — Models of Beauty — Amusement in the Palace — A King's Levee — Meas- 
uring a very Fat Lady — Desperate Battle with a Hippopotamus — Mountain Ga- 
zelles — The Wonderful White Man — A King's Astonishment at Gunpowder- 
Women Beating the War Drum — Musical Instruments — Wild Musician — Gro- 
tesque Band of Music— A Merry Christmas— Speke on His Way to Uganda- 
Messengers from King Mtesa — A Remarkably Rich Country — Mountains of the 
Moon— Droll Customs of Savages — Frightening Away the Devil — Interview with 
King Mtesa — A Black Queen — The King Shoots an Adjutant-bird — Wild and 
Fantastic Scene — A Famous Colonel — Arrival of Grant — The Explorers Pushing 
Forward — Speke Loses One of His Men — Arrival at the Banks of the Nile- 
Singular Conveyances— Brutal Attack of Natives— Speke and Grant at the End 
of Their Journey— The Explorers Arrive in England — Important Discoveries ol 
Speke and Grant 

""E must now return to Captain Grant, who had been left in the 
Unyamuezi country, about which, during" his stay, he made 
numerous observations. 

" In a Weezee village," he tells us, *' there are few sounds' to 
disturb the traveller's night rest. The horn of the new-comers, and the 
reply to it from a neighboring village, an accidental alarm, the chirping 
of crickets, and the cry from a sick child occasionally, however, broke 
the stillness. At dawn the first sounds were the crowing of cocks, 
the lowing of cows, the bleating of calves, and the chirruping of 
sparrows (which might have reminded him of America). Soon aftei 
would be heard the pestle and mortar shelling corn, or the cooing of wild 
pigeons in the neighboring palm-grove." The huts were shaped like 
hay-stacks, dark within as the hold of a ship. A few earthen jars, tat- 
tered skins, old bows and arrows, with some cups of grass, gourds, and 
perhaps a stool, constitute the furmtt"** 

Different tribes vary greatly in appearance. Grant describes some as 
148 




WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 



149 



orery handsome. He mentions two Nyambo girls, who, in the bloom of 
youth, sat together with their arms affectionately twined round each 
other's neck, and, when asked to separate that they might be sketched, 
their arms were dropped at once, showing their necks and busts to be of 
the finest form. Their woolly hair was combed out, and raised up from 
the forehead and over their ears by a broad band from the skin of a milk< 
white cow, which contrasted strangely with their transparent, light-coppes 
ik'ms. The Waha women are like them, having tall, erect, graceful 
Sgures and intelligent features. 




SOCIAL AMUSEMENT AMONG THE WEEZEES. 

An Ai'ab trader, whom they had met, had sixty wives, who lived to- 
gether in a double-poled tent, with which he always travelled. Onf-' of 
them was a Watusi, a beautiful tall girl, with large, dark eyes, and the 
smallest mouth and nose, with thin lips and small hands. Her noble 
race will never become slaves, preferring death to slavery. 

Inside ea. h Weezee village there is a club-house, or " iwansa," as it is 
called. This is a structure much larger than those which are used for 
dwelling-houses, and is built in a different manner One of these 



150 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

iwansas, which was visited by Captain Grant, was a long, low room, 
twelve by eighteen feet, with one door, a low, flat roof, well blackened 
with smoke, and no chimney. Along its length there ran a high inclined 
bench, on which cow-skins were spread for men to take their seats. 
Huge drums were hung in one corner, and logs smouldered on the floors 

Into this place strangers are ushered when they first enter the village, 
and here they reside until a house can be appropriated to them. Here 
the young men all gather at the close of day to hear the new£ and joifi 
in that interminable talk which seems one of the chief joys of a native 
African. Here they perform kindly offices to each other, such as pulling 
out the hairs of the eyelashes and eyebrows with their curious little 
tweezers, chipping the teeth into the correct form and painting on the 
cheeks and temples the peculiar marks which designate their clan. 

Favorite Games. 

Smoking and drinking also go on largely in the iwansa, and here the 
youths indulge in various games. One of these games is exactly similar 
to the one which has been introduced into England. Each player has a 
stump of Indian corn, cut short, which he stands on the ground in front 
of him. A rude sort of teetotum is made of a gourd and a stick, and is 
spun among the corn-stumps, the object of the game being to knock 
down the stump belonging to the adversary. This is a favorite game, 
and elicits much noisy laughter and applause, not only from the actual 
players, but from the spectators who surround them. 

In front of the iwansa the dances are conducted. A long strip of bark 
or cow-skin is laid down, and the Weezees arrange themselves along it, 
the tallest man always taking the place of honor in the middle. When 
they have arranged themselves, the drummers strike up their noisy 
instruments, and the dancers begin a strange chant, which is more like 
a howl than a song. They swing their hands, stamp vigorously, and are 
pleased to think that they are dancing. The male spectators encourage 
their friends by joing in the chorus. 

The Weezee boys are amusing little fellows, and have quite a talent 
x>r games. Of course they imitate the pursuits of their fathers, such as 
shooting with small bows and arrows, jumping over sticks at various 
heights, pretending to shoot game, and other amusements. Some of the 
elder lads convert their play into reality, by making their bows and 
arrows large enough to kill the pigeons and other birds which fly about 
them. They also make very creditable imitations of the white man's 
gun, tying two pieces of cane together for the barrels, modelling the 
stock, hammer, and trigger-guard out of clay, and imitating the smoke by 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 



151 



tufts of cotton wool. That they are kind-hearted boys is evident from 
the fact that they have tame birds in cages, and spend much time in 
teaching them to sing. 

The Wanyamuezi treat the Watusi with great respect. When two 
people of these tribes meet, the former presses his hands together, the 
Wanisi uttering a few words in a low voice. If a Watusi man meets a 




YOUNG WEEZEE SHOOTING PIGEONS. 

woman of his own tribe, she lets her arms fall by her side, while he gently 
Dresses them below the shoulders, looking affectionately in her face. 

The class of Arabs met with were a most degraded set : instead of 
improving the country, they brought ruin upon it by their imperiousness 
and cruelty. All traded in slaves and generally treated them most 
harshly. Several gangs were met with in chains. Each slave was dressed 



152 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

in a single goat's skin, and at night they kept themselves warm by lying 
near a fire. Never, by day or night, is the chain unfastened ; should one 
of them require to move, the whole must accompany him. All ate 
together boiled sweet potato, or the leaves of the pumpkin plant, and 
were kept in poor condition to prevent their becoming troublesome. 

Any meat or bones left from the travellers' dinners were therefore 
given them, and accepted thankfully. One gang was watched over by a 
small lad, whose ears had been cut off, and who treated them with unfeel- 
ing coarseness. A sick slave having recovered, it was the boy's duty to 
chain him to his gang again, and it was grievous to see the rough way he 
used the poor, emaciated creature. 

They had not much work to do, the sole object of the owner being to 
keep them alive and prevent their running away till sold at the coast. 
They generally looked sullen and full of despair ; but occasionally s at 
night, they danced and became even riotous, till a word from the earless 
imp restored them to order. 

A Happy Release. 

Among them was a poor fellow who had been five years in chains. 
The travellers took compassion on him, and released hiai from bondage. 
His chains were struck off with a hammer, and, once on his feet, a freed- 
man, he seemed scarcely to believe the fact , when, however, attired in a 
clean calico shirt, he strutted about and soon came to make his new 
master his best bow. On his body were numerous spear-wounds. He 
had been captured by the Watuta, who had cut off several of his toes. 
This man never deserted them during the journey, accompanying them 
to Cairo, having gained the character of a faithful servant. 

The Arab in Africa takes presents for everything he does, and it was 
believed that the white men would do the same. If a bullet was extracted, 
a gun repaired, an old sultan physicked, or the split lobe of an ear 
mended, a cow or cows were at hand to be paid when the task was 
finished. 

When slaves were brought for sale and declined by the Englishmen 
the natives could not understand their indifference to such traffic, but 
would turn from them with a significant shrug, as much as to say : " Whv 
are you here then ? " 

The most horrible punishments are inflicted on those who offend 
against the laws of the country. A woman and lad, who had been 
accused of bewitching the sultan's brother, were found with their arms 
tied behind them, writhing in torture on their faces. No sympathy was 
shown them from the jeerinc croiy 4 The lad at last cried out : " Take 




153 



154 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS, 

me to the forest, I know an hero remedy." He was allowed to go, while 
the woman was kept in the stocks near the sick patient. The lad was put 
to death, and Captain Grant suspected, tortured before a fire. Another 
man, for a crime in the sultan's harem, was stripped, tied to railings, and 
his person smeared with grease and covered with greased rags, which 
were then set fire to, when he was dragged forth to a huge fire outside 
the village. On his way, spears were darted at him by the son and 
daughter-in-law of the sultan, and when he fell he was dragged out by 
one leg. 

Attacked by Black Robbers. 

Grant had the same difficulties in moving that Speke had experienced,, 
At length he got away, but as he was passing through the territory of 
Sultan Myonga, his men moving in Indian file, a band of two hundred 
natives, armed with spears and bows and arrows, burst upon him, spring- 
ing over the ground like cats. The uplifted spears and the shouts of the 
robbers frightened the porters, who gave up their loads and attempted t(. 
escape fro&n the ruffians, who were pulling their clothes and loads from 
them. Grant endeavored without bloodshed to prevent this, but, as he 
had only one of his gun-men and two natives by him, he could do noth- 
ing. Little Rohan the sailor, one of his Zambesi men, was found with 
his rifle in hand at full cock, defending two loads against five men. He 
had been urged to fly for his life. The property, he answered, was his 
life. Grant made his way, however, to Myonga, seeing as he went the 
natives dressed out in the stolen clothes of his men. Though honor was 
dear, the safety of the expedition was so likewise, and one false step 
would have endangered it. 

Myonga pretended to be very indignant, and said that he had cut off 
the hand of one of his men, and promised that the property should be 
restored. Some of the loads were given back, but others had been broken 
open and rifled, and the chief demanded an enormous tribute for permit- 
ting Grant to proceed. This was the origin of the alarming intelligence 
Captain Speke had received. 

At length the two travellers united their forces, and together they con- 
tinued their journey towards Karague. To reach it they had first to pass 
through the province of Usui, the chief of which, Suwarora, pillaged them 
as usual. Here the little grass-hut villages were not fenced by a stockade 
but were hidden in large fields of plantains. Cattle were numerous, kept 
by the Wahuma, who would not sell their milk, because the Englishmen 
eat fowls. Their camp, night after night, was attacked by thieves. One 
night, as Speke was taking an observation, a party of these rascals 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 



155 



enquired of two of the women of the camp what he was about. While 
the latter were explaining, the thieves whipped off their clothes and ran 
away with them, leaving the poor creatures in a state of absolute nudity. 

Shooting- Thieves. 

Sperce had not taken much notice of the goats and other things which 
had been stolen, but, in consequence of this, he ordered his men to shoot 
any thieves who came near. A short time afterwards, another band 
approaching, one of the men was shot, who turned out to be a magician, 
and was till then thought invulnerable. He was tracked by his blood, 
and afterwards died of his wound. The next day some of Speke's men 
were lured into the huts of the natives by an invitation to dinner, but, 
when they got them there, they stripped them stark naked and let thenr 
go again. At night the same rascals stoned the camp. After this 
another thief was shot dead and two others were wounded. Bombay and 
Baraka gave their masters also a good deal of trouble. The former, who 
was looked upon as an excellent fellow, more than once got very drunk, 
and stole their property in order to purchase a wife for himself, besides 
vhich the two men quarrelled desperately with each other. 

At length, however, the travellers got free of Usui and the native guard 
who had been sent to see them over the borders, and entered Karague, 
t their great relief and happiness. 

They had now, for some distance, wild animals alone to contend with, 
and these they well knew how to manage. There was often danger, as 
for instance, one day when they were hunting a lioness, she suddenly 
turned and with tremendous fury charged at her foes. Nothing but a 
lucky shot saved them. 

Soon after pitching their tent they were greeted by an officer sent by 
the king, Rumanika, to escort them through his country. He informed 
them that the village officers were instructed to supply them with food at 
the king's expense, as there were no taxes gathered from strangers in the 
kingdom of Karague. 

Beautiful Scenery. 

The country was hilly, wild, and picturesque, the higher slopes dotted 
with thick bushes of acacias, the haunts of the white and black rhinoceros, 
while in the valley were large herds of harte-beestes. The further they 
proceeded into the country, the better they liked it, as the people were all 
kept in good order. A beautiful lake was seen, which at first they sup- 
posed to be a portion of the Nyanza, but it proved to be a separate lake, 
to which the name of Windermere was given. 

They now attained the delightful altitude of five thousand odd feet, the 




156 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 157 

atmosphere at night feeling very cool. Away to the west some bold 
sky-scraping cones were observed, and, on making enquiries, Speke was 
convinced that those distant hills were the great turn-point of the Central 
African water-shed. Numerous travellers, whom he collected round 
him, gave him assistance in forming his map. He was surprised at the 
amount of information about distant places which he was able to obtain 
from these intelligent men. 

As they approached the palace, the king, Rumanika, sent them a sup- 
ply of excellent tobacco and beer manufactured by his people. On draw= 
ing near his abode, the bearers were ordered to put down their loads and 
fire a salute, and the two travellers at once received an invitation to visit 
the king. He was found sitting cross-legged with his brother, both men 
of noble appearance and size. The king was plainly dressed in an Arab 
black robe; ne wore on his legs numerous rings of rich colored beads, 
and neatly-worked wristlets of copper. His brother, being a doctor of 
high credit, was covered with charms ; he wore a checked cloth wrapped 
round him. Large clay pipes were at their sides, ready for use. In 
their rear sat the king's sons, as quiet as mice. 

The king greeted them warmly and affectionately, and in an instant 
both travellers felt that they were in the company of men who were 
totally unlike the common order of the natives of the surrounding dis- 
tricts. They had fine oval faces, large eyes, and high noses, denoting 
the best blood of Abyssinia. They shook hands in the American style, 
the ever-smiling king wishing to know what they thought of his country. 
He observed that he considered his mountains the finest in the world : 
"And the lake, too ; did not they admire it ? " He seemed a very intelli- 
gent man, and enquired how they found their way over the world, which 
led to a long story, describing the proportions of land and water, the way 
ships navigate the ocean, and convey even elephants and the rhinoceros 
to fill the menageries of Europe and America. 

A Fit of Merriment. 

He gave them their choice of having quarters in his palace Oi pitching 
their tents outside. They selected a spot overlooking the lake, on 
account of the beautiful view. The young princes were ordered to attend 
on them, one of whom, seeing Speke seated in an iron chair, rushed back 
to his father with the intelligence. Speke was accordingly requested to 
return, that he might exhibit the white man sitting on his throne. 
Rumanika burst into a fresh fit of merriment at seeing him, and after- 
wards made many enlightened remarks. 

On another visit Speke told the king that if he would send two of his 



158 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

children, he would have them instructed in England, ibr he admired his 
race, and believed them to have sprung from the friends of the English, 
the Abyssinians, who were Christians, and had not the Wahuma lost their 
knowledge of God, they would be so likewise. A long theological and 
historical discussion ensued, which so pleased the king that he said he 
would be delighted if Speke would take two of his sons to England. He 
then enquired what could induce them to leave their country and travel, 
vhen Speke replied that they had had their fill of the luxuries of life, and 
ihat their great delight was to observe and admire the beauties of creation, 
but especially their wish was to pay visits to the kings of Africa, and in 
particular his Majesty. He then promised that they should have boats to 
convey them over the lake, with musicians to play before them. 

In the afternoon Speke, having heard that it was the custom to fattei 




A HAPPY NATIVE, 

tsp the wives of the king and princes to such an extent that they could 
not stand upright, paid a visit to the king's eldest brother. On entering 
the hut, he found the old chief and his wife sitting side by side on ? bench 
of earth strewed over with grass, while in front of them were placed 
numerous wooden pots of milk. Speke was received by the prince with 
great courtesy, and was especially struck by the extraordinary dimen« 
sions, yet pleasing beauty of the immoderately fat fair one, his wife. 

She could not rise. So large were her arms that between the joints 
the flesh hung like large loose bags. Then came in their children, alf 
models of the Abyssinian type of beauty, and as polite in their manners 
as thorough-bred gentlemen. They were delighted in looking over his 
picture-books and making enquiries about them. The prince, pointing 
I© his wife, observed: "This is all the product of those pots, as, frosu 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 1^9 

early youth upwards, we keep those pots to their mouths, being the cus- 
tom of the court to have very fat wives.'' 

The king, having supposed that the travellers had been robbed of all 
their goods, was delighted with the liberal presents he received, above al) 
that of a coat of handsome scarlet broadcloth. He told them that they 
might visit every part of his country, and when the time arrived for pro 
needing to Uganda, he would escort them to the boundary. 

Altogether, Rumanika was the most intelligent and best-looking rulec 
the travellers met with in Africa. He had nothing of the African in his 
appearance, except that his hair was short and wooly. He was fully six 
feet two inches in height, and the expression of his countenance was 
mild and open. He was fully clothed in a robe made of small antelope- 
skins and another of dark cloth, always carrying, when walking, a long 
staff in his hand. His four sons were favorable specimens of their race, 
especially the eldest, named Chunderah. He was somewhat of a dandy, 
being more neat about his lion-skin covers and ornaments than his 
brothers. From the tuft of wool left unshaven on the crown of his head 
to his waist he was bare, except when his arms and neck were decorate*/ 
with charmed horns, strips of otter-skins, shells, and bands of wool. 
Amusement in the Palace. 

He was fond of introducing Friz, Speke's head-man, into the palace, 
that he might amuse his sisters with his guitar, and in return the sisters, 
brothers, and followers would sing Karague music. The youngest son 
was the greatest favorite, and on one occasion, the travellers having pre- 
sented him with a pair of white kid gloves, were much amused with the 
dignified way in which he walked off, having coaxed them on to his 
fingers. 

Rumanika, contrary to the usual African custom, was singularly abste- 
mious, living almost entirely on milk, merely sucking the juice of boiled 
beef. He scarcely ever touched plantain wine or beer, and had never 
been known to be intoxicated. The people were generally excessively 
fond of this wine, the peasants especially drinking large quantities of it 

One of the most curious customs which Rumanika holds in his char- 
acter of high priest, is his new-moon levee, which takes place every 
month, for the purpose of ascertaining the loyalty of his subjects. On 
the evening of the new moon the king adorns himself with a plume of 
feathers on his head, a huge white beard descending to his breast. He 
lakes post behind a screen. Before him are arranged forty long drums 
on the ground, on the head of each of which is painted a white cross. 
The drummers stand each with a pair of sticks, and in front is theif 



160 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

leader, who has a couple of small drums slung round his neck. The 
leader raises first his right arm and then his left, the performers imitating 
him, when he brings down both sticks on the drums with a rapid roll. 
they doing the same, until the noise is scarcely to be endured. This 
having continued for some hours, with the additon of smaller drums and 
Dther musical instruments, the chiefs advance in succession, leaping and 
gesticulating, and shouting expressions of devotion to their sovereign, 
Having finished their performance, they kneel before him, holding out 
their knobbed sticks that he may touch them, then, retiring, make room 
for others. 

Civilized as the country is in some respects, marriage is a matter of 
barter between the father and the intended husband, the former receiving 
cows, slaves, sheep, etc., for his daughter. Should, however, a bride not 
approve of her husband, by returning the marriage gifts she is again at 
liberty. The chief ceremony at marriages consists in tying up the bride 
in a skin, blackened all over, and carrying her with a noisy procession to 
her husband. 

Measuring a Very Fat Lady. 

The ladies of this country lead an easy life in many respects, their chief 
object, apparently, being to get as fat as possible. Many of them succeed 
wonderfully well, in consequence of their peculiar constitution, or from 
the food they eat being especially nutritious. Five of Rumanika's wives 
were so enormous that they were unable to enter the door of any ordinary 
hut, or to move about without being supported by a person on either 
side. One of his sisters-in-law was of even still greater proportions. 
Speke measured her ; round her arm was one foot eleven inches ; chest, 
four feet four inches ; thigh, two feet seven inches ; calf, one foot eight 
inches ; height, five feet eight inches. 

He could have obtained her height more accurately could he have haa 
her laid on the floor ; but, knowing the difficulties he would have had to 
contend with in such a piece of engineering, he tried to get her height by 
raising her up. This, after infinite exertion, was accomplished, when she 
sank down again, fainting, for the blood had rushed into her head, 
Meanwhile the daughter, a lass of sixteen, sat before them, sucking at a 
milk-pot, on which the father kept her at work by holding a rod in his 
hand ; for, as fattening is one of the first duties of fashionable female life, 
it must be duly enforced with the rod if necessary. The features of the 
damsel were lovely, but her body was as round as a ball. 

The women turn their obesity to good account. In exchanging food 
for beads it is usual to purchase a certain quantity of food, which shall 




W. A.— 11 



161 



162 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

be paid foi by a belt of beads that will go round the waist. The women 
of Karague being on an average twice a* large round the waist as those 
of other districts, food practically rises a hundred per cent, in price. Not- 
withstanding their fatness their features retain much beauty, the face 
being oval and the eyes fine and intelligent. The higher class of women 
are modest : not only weari ng cow-skin petticoats, but a wrapper of black 
cloth, with which they en\ elop their whole bodies, merely allowing ong 
hand to be seen. 

The travellers were allowed to move about the country as they liked s 
and the king sent his sons to attend on them, that they might enjoy 
such sport as was to be found. They heard of no elephants in that dis- 
trict, but harte-beestes, rhinoceros, and hippopotami were common. 

Desperate Battle With the River-horse. 
» The exciting capture of the last-named beast furnishes material 
for many exciting tales of adventure. A traveller alludes to the 
custom the natives have ot throwing sand into the animal's eyes. 
Blinded for the time, smarting, and assailed at his most sensitive point, 
the hippopotamus plunged back into the stream to lave his eyes, and trr 
natives could not withstand his strength, even if the now doubled aru* 
firmly twisted together harpoon lines would have borne the strain, so 
they slacked away as he pulled, waiting until he was quiet to haul away 
again, and drag him to the bank. To this the out-manceuvred brute wa* 
foolishly nothing loath, and, having cleansed the sand from his eyes, 
rushed back to the fight, his black and savage heart eager for the destruc 
tion of his tormentors. Again, however, was he put to flight as before. 
Streaming with blood, spouting it in torrents from his mouth and through 
his nostrils, although he crunched the lance shafts like so many straws,, 
yet the blades remained deep in his throat and vitals, whilst many a 
deadly thrust had been given behind his shoulder-blades. 

So the fight went on for nearly two hours, the huge animal's attacks 
6eing always frustrated by the sand-throwing, while every appearance he 
made above the water was the signal to receive numerous fresh wounds. 
At length, fairly exhausted, his fierce energy and mighty strength alike 
Subdued, he was dragged and held as far out of the water as it was pos- 
sible to pull so great a weight ; what was gained was retained by taking 
a round-turn with the end of the rope about a neighboring piece of rock> 
and then the animal was secured. The natives value the hippopotamus 
for his hide, his flesh, and his ivory. 

One day Captain Grant saw two harte-beestes engaged in a desperate 
iombat, halting calmly between each round to breathe. He could hear, 




163 



164 WONDERS OF TH3 TROPICS. 

even at a considerable distance, the force of every butt as their heads 
met, and, as they fell on their knees, the impetus of the attack, sending 
their bushy tails over their backs, till one, becoming the victor, chased 
the other out of the herd. 

Several varieties of antelope and the mountain gazelle were seen bound- 
ing over the hills. Pigs abounded in the low grounds, and hippopotami 
In the lake. 

Captain Speke went out in search of rhinoceros, accompanied by th| 
prince, with a party of beaters. In a short time he dicovered a fine male s 
when, stealing between the bushes, he gave him a shot which made him 
trot off, till, exhausted by loss of blood, he lay down to die. The young 
princes were delighted with the effect of the Englishman's gun, and, seiz- 
ing both his hands, congratulated him on his successes. 

A second rhinoceros was killed after receiving two shots. While pur 
suing the latter, three appeared, who no sooner sighted Speke, than they 
all charged at him in line. His gun-bearers, however, were with him, 
and, taking his weapons, he shot the three animals in turn. One dropped 
down a little way on, but the others only pulled up when they arrived at 
the bottom of the hill. One kept charging with so much fury that they 
could not venture to approach till Speke had given him a second ball, 
which brought him to the ground. Every man then rushed at the 
creature, sending his spear or arrow into his sides until he sank like a 
porcupine covered with quills. 

The Wonderful White Man. 

The heads were sent to the king, to show what the white man could 
do. Rumanika exhibited the greatest astonishment, declaring that some- 
thing more potent than powder had been used; for, though the Arabs 
talk of their shooting powers, they could not have accomplished such a 
feat. " It is no wonder," he added, " that the English are the greatest 
men in the world/' 

Rumanika, like great men in other countries, had his private band 
The instruments were of a somewhat primitive character, while the 
musicians differed in appearance considerably from those of America^ 
The most common instruments are the drums, which vary greatly io 
size : ore hung to the shoulder is about four feet in length, and one m 
width It is played with the fingers, like the Indian "tom-tom." The 
drums used at the new-moon reception are of the same shape, but ver). 
much larger. The war-drum is beaten by women. At its sound the 
men rush to arms, and repair to their several quarters. There are also 
f^veraJ stringed instruments. One of these, which Captain Grant de* 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 



165 



scribes, was played by an old woman ; it had seven notes, six of which 
were a perfect scale. Another, which had three strings, was played by a 
man : they were a full, harmonious chord. A third instrument called 
the nanga," formed of dark wood, in the shape of a tray, had three 
crosses in the bottom, and was laced with one string, seven or eight times, 
over bridges at either end. 

The prince sent the best player to be found to entertain his guest. 
The man entered, dressed in the usual Wanyambo costume, looking a 
wild, excited creature. After resting his spear against the roof of hk 




PECULIAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 

hut, he took a " nanga " from under his arm and began playing, his wild 
yet gentle music with words, attracting a number of admirers. It was 
about a favorite dog, and for days afterwards the people sang that dog 
song. 

They have two wind instruments, one resembling a flageolet, and 
another a bugle. The latter is composed of several pieces of gourd, fitted 
one into another, in telescope fashion, and is covered with cow-skin. 

Rumanika's band was composed of sixteen men, fourteen of whom had 
bugles, and the other two hand-drums. On the march they form in 
three ranks, the drummers being in the rear,, swaying their bodies in time 



166 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

to the music, while the leader advances with a curiously active step^ 
touching the ground alternately with each knee. They also, when the 
king rested on a march, or when out hunting, played before him, while 
he sat on the ground and smoked his pipe. 

The Wahuma, like most Africans, have great faith in the power o! 
-harms, and believe that by their means persons can be rendered invul- 
nerable. They also believe in the constant presence of departed souls ; 
supposing that they exercise a good or evil influence over those whom 
they have known in life. When a field is blighted or a crop does nol 
promise well, a gourd is placed in the pathway; passsengers setup a 
wailing cry, which they intend as a prayer to the spirits to give a good 
crop to their mourning relatives. Rumanika, in order to propitiate the 
spirit of his father, was in the habit of sacrificing annually a cow on h*. 
tomb, and also of placing offerings on it of corn and wine. These ana 
many other instances show that, though their minds are dark and mis- 
guided, the people possess religious sentiments which might, afford 
encouragement to missionaries of the gospel. 

A Merry Christinas. 

The commencement of 1862 found the travellers still guests of the 
enlightened king. Hearing that it was the English custom on Christmas 
Day to have an especially good dinner, he sent an ox. Captain Speke 
in return paid him a visit. He offered him the compliments of the 
season, and reminded him that he was of the old stock of Abyssinians, 
who were among the oldest Christians on record, and that he hoped the 
time would come when white teachers would visit his country, to instruct 
him in the truths which he and his people had forgotten. 

Active preparations were now made for the departure of the travellers, 
but unhappily Captain Grant was suffering from so severe a complaint in 
one of his legs, that he was compelled to remain behind, under the pro- 
tection of the hospitable sovereign, while Speke set off for Uganda. 

About the middle of January a large escort of smartly-dressed men, 
women, and boys, leading their dogs and playing their reeds, under the 
command of Maula, arrived from Mtesa, King of Uganda, to conduct the 
travellers to his capital. Maula informed them that the king had ordered 
his officers to supply them with everything they wanted while passing 
through his country, and that there would be nothing to pay. 

Speke set forth, in the hopes that before long he should settle the greal 
Nile problem for ever. It was, however, not believed that he would be 
able to proceed north from Uganda, Rumanika especially declaring that 
he would be compelled to return to the southward„ 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 167 

Passing through a remarkably rich country, famous for its ivory and 
coffee productions, they descended from the Mountains of the Moon to an 
alluvial plain, where Rumanika keeps thousands of cows. Once ele- 
phants abounded here, but, since the increase of the ivory trade, these 
animals had been driven off to the distant hills. 

They soon reached the Kitangule River, which falls into the Victoria 
Nyanza. It was about eighty yards broad and so deep that it could no! 
be poled by the canoe-men, while it runs at a velocity of from three tc 
four knots an hour. It is fed from the high-seated springs in the Moun 
tains of the Moon. Speke believed that the Mountains of the Moon give 
birth to the Congo as well as the Nile, and also the Shire branch of the 
Zambesi. 

Frightening Away the Devil. 

The country through which they passed was a perfect garden of plan- 
tations, surprisingly rich, while along the banks of the river numberless 
harte-beestes and antelopes were seen. 

At a village, where they were compelled to stop two days, drumming, 
singing, screaming, yelling, and dancing went on the whole time, during 
the night as well as day, to drive the " phepo," or devil, away. In front 
of a hut sat an old man and woman, smeared with white mud, and hold- 
ing pots of beer in their laps, while people came, bringing baskets full of 
plantain squash and more pots of beer. Hundreds of them were collected 
fci the court-yard, all perfectly drunk, making the most terrific uproar. 

The king sent messengers expressing his desire to see the white man. 
fipeke now sent back to Grant, earnestly urging him to come on if he 
possibly could, as he had little doubt that they would be able to proceed 
across the country to the northward. On approaching the capital, a mes- 
senger came to say that the king, who, by the way, is our old friend 
Mtesa, was so eager to meet the white man that he would not taste food 
until he had seen him. 

Speke won his favor by blistering and doctoring him. He managed 
to keep up his own dignity by refusing to submit when improperly 
treated. He also gained great credit with the monarch by exhibiting hi 
skill as a sportsman ; and Mtesa was delighted to find that after a litTJe 
practice he himself could kill birds and animals.. He did not, howevei, 
confine himself to shooting at the brute creation, but occasionally killed 
a man or woman who might have been found guilty of some crime. 

A Black Queen. 

After he had been some time in the palace, he was introduced to the 
queen dowager. Her majesty was fat, fair, and forty-five. He found her 



168 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

seated in the front part of her hut, on a carpet, her elbow resting on a 
pillow. An iron rod, like a spit, with a cup on the top, charged with 
magic powder, and other magic wands were placed before the entrance, 
and within the room four sorceresses, or devil-drivers, fantastically 
dressed, with a mass of other women, formed the company. They being 
dismissed, a band of musicians came in, when beer was drunk by the 
queen, and handed to her visitor and high officers and attendants. She 
smoked her pipe, and bid Speke to smoke his. She required doctoring, 
and Speke had many opportunities of seeing her, so completely winning 
her regard that she insisted on presenting him with various presents, 
among others a couple of wives, greatly to his annoyance. She appeared 
to be a jovial and intelligent personage. 

On his next visit the king told Speke that he had wished to see him on 
the previous day, and begged that whenever he came he would fire a gun 
at the waiting hut, that he might hear of his arrival. The king was much 
pleased with a portrait Speke made of him, as also with his colored 
sketches of several birds he had killed, bu.. was still more delighted with 
some European clothes, with which he was presented. 

When Speke went to visit him, he found his Majesty dressed in his 
new garments. The legs of the trousers, as well as the sleeves of the 
waistcoat, were much too short, so that his black feet and hands stuck 
out at the extremities as an organ-player's monkey's do, while the cocks- 
comb on his head prevented a fez cap, which he wore, from sitting 
properly. On this visit twenty new wives, daughters of chiefs, all 
smeared and shining with grease, were presented, marching in a line 
before the king, and looking their prettiest, whilst the happy fathers 
floundered on the ground, delighted to find their darling daughters 
appreciated by the monarch. Speke burst into a fit of laughter, which 
was imitated not only by the king but by the pages, his own men chuck- 
ling in sudden gusto, though afraid of looking up. 
The King Makes a Capture. 

The king at last returned Speke's visit. Having taken off his turban s 
as Speke was accustomed to take off his hat, he seated himself on his 
stool. Everything that struck his eye was admired and begged for, 
though nothing seemed to please him so much as the traveller's wide^ 
awake and mosquito curtains. The women, who were allowed to peep 
into Bana's (the white man's) den, received a couple of sacks of beads, to 
commemorate the visit. 

A few days afterwards he was accompanying the king when an 
adjutant-bird was seen in a tree. The king had a gun Speke had given 




CURIOUS ADJUTANT-BIRD 



169 



1T0 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS 

him, but he had little more than one charge of powder remaining, 
Speke had left his gun at home. The king at the second shot killed 
the bird, greatly to his delight. He insisted upon carrying the bird to 
show to his mother. 

Before entering the palace, however, he changed his European clothes 
for a white goat-skin wrapper. Directly afterwards a battalion of his 
army arrived before the palace, under the command of his chief officer, 
whom Speke called Colonel Congou. The king came out with spear and 
shield in hand, preceded by the bird, and took post in front of the 
enclosure. His troops were divided into three companies, each contain- 
ing about two hundred men. After passing in single file, they wenV 
through various evolutions. Nothing, Speke says, could be more wild 
or fantastic than the sight which ensued. Each man carried two spears 
and one shield, held as if approaching an enemy. They thus moved in 
three lines of single rank and file at fifteen or twenty paces asunder, with 
the same high action and elongated step, the ground leg only being 
bent to give their strides the greater force. The captains of each com- 
pany followed, even more fantastically dressed. 

Astounding- Dress. 

The great Colonel Congou had his long, white-haired goat-skins, a 
fiddle-shaped leather shield, tufted with white hair at all six extremities, 
bands of long hair tied below the knees, and the helmet covered with 
rich beads of several colors, surmounted with a plume of c/imson 
feathers, from the centre of which rose a stem, tufted with goat-hair. 
Finally the senior officers came charging at their king, making violent 
protestations of faith and honesty, for which they were applauded. 

Speke was now, towards the end of May, looking forward to thw 
arrival of Grant. To propitiate the despot he sent a compass, greatly to 
the delight of Mtesa, who no sooner saw it than he jumped and yelled 
with intense excitement, and said it was the greatest present Bana had 
ever given him, for by this he found out all the roads and countries. 

It had been arranged that Grant should come by water ; but the 
natives, fearing to trust themselves on the lake, brought him all the dis- 
tance on a litter. At length, the sound of guns announced the arrival of 
Grant, and Speke hurried off to meet his friend, who was now able to 
limp about a little, and to laugh over the accounts he gave of his 
travels. 

The travellers forthwith began to make arrangements for proceeding 
on to Unyoro, governed by Kamrasi, of despicable character and con- 
sidered merciless and cruel, even among African potentates, scattering 




< 
< 



5 Q 



171 



172 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

death and torture around at the mere whim of the moment ; while he 
was inhospitable, covetous, and grasping, yet too cowardly to declare 
war against the King of the Waganda, who had deprived him of por- 
tions of his dominions. The Waganda people were, therefore, very 
unwilling to escort the travellers into his territory ; and Colonel Congou 
declared that if compelled to go, he was a dead man, as he had once led 
an army into Unyoro. 

The travellers' great object was to reach the spot where the Nile was 
supposed to flow out of the Victoria Nyanza, and proceed down the 
stream in boats. 

By July the arrangements for their journey were made. The king 
presented them with a herd of cows for their provisions, as well as some 
robes of honor and spears, and he himself came out with his wives to 
see them off, Speke ordered his men to turn out under arms and 
acknowledge the favors received. Mtesa complimented them on their 
goodly appearance and exhorted them to follow their leader through fire 
and water, saying that, with such a force, they would have n, difficulty 
in reaching Gani. 

Pushing Forward. 

It was arranged that Grant should go on to Kamrasi direct, with he 
property, cattle, etc., while Speke should go by the river to examine ts 
exit from the lake, and come down again, navigating as far as practicable. 

They now commenced their march down the northern slopes o{ 
Africa, escorted by a band of Waganda troops, under the command of 
Kasora, a young chief. They had proceeded onwards some days, when 
Kari, one of Speke's men, had been induced to accompany some of the 
Waganda escort to a certain village of potters, to obtain pots for making 
plantain wine. On nearing the place, the inhabitants rushed out. The 
Waganda men escaped, but Kari, whose gun was unloaded, s.tood still, 
pointing his weapon, when the people, believing it to be a magic horn f 
speared him to death, and then fled. 

After passing through a country covered with jungle, Speke reached 
the banks of the Nile. The shores on either side had the appearance of 
a highly-kept park. Before him was a magnificent stream, six or seven 
hundred yards wide, dotted with islets and rocks — the former occupied 
by fishermen's huts, the latter by sterns and crocodiles, basking in the 
sun — flowing between fine, high, grassy banks, covered with trees and 
plantations. In the background herds of harte-beestes could be seen 
grazing, while the hippopotami were snorting in the water, Florican and 
Guinea fowl rising at their feet. 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 173 

The chief of the district received them courteously, and accompanied 
Speke to the Isamba Rapids. 

The water ran deep between its banks, which were covered with fine 
grass, soft cloudy acacias, and festoons of lilac, while here and there, 
where the land had slipped above the rapids, bare places of red earth 
could be seen. There, too, the waters, impeded by a natural dam, looked 
like a huge mill-pond, sullen and dark, in which two crocodiles, floating 
ibout, were looking out for prey. From the high banks Speke looked 
down upon a line of sloping wooded islets lying across the stream, which, 
by dividing its waters, became at once both dam and rapids. " The 
whole scene was fairy-like, wild and romantic in the extreme," says Cap= 
tain Speke. 

Proceeding southward they reached the Rippon "Falls, by far the most 
interesting sight he had seen in Africa. 

" Though beautiful, the scene was not exactly what I expected, foi 
the broad surface of the lake was shut out from view by a spur of hiU, 
and the falls, about twelve feet deep and four to five hundred feet broad, 
were broken by rocks ; still it was a sight that attracted one to it for 
nours. The roar of the waters, the thousands of passenger fish leaping 
at the falls with all their might, the fishermen coming out in boats, and 
taking post on all the rocks with rod and hook, hippopotami and croco- 
diles lying sleepily on the water, the ferry at work above the falls, and 
cattle driven down to drink at the margin of the lake, made in all, with 
the pretty nature of the country — small grassy-topped hills, with trees in 
the intervening valleys and on the lower slopes — as interesting a picture 
as one could wish to see." 

Here, then, he had arrived at what he considered the source of the 
Nile— that is, the point from where it makes its exit from the Victoria Ny- 
anza ; and he calculated that the whole length of the river is, thus meas- 
uring from the south end of the lake, two thousand three hundred miles, 
Singular Conveyances. 

He and his party now returned northward, and reached Urondogam 
again in August. The difficulty was next to obtain boats. The fisher- 
men, finding that the strangers were to be supplied with fish by the 
king's order, ran away, though the cows they had brought" furnished the 
travellers with food. At length five boats, composed of five planks lashed 
together and caulked with rags, were forthcoming. Speke, with his 
attendants, Kasora, and his followers embarked, carrying goats, dogs, 
Sid kit, besides grain and dried meat. No one, however, knew now 
many days it would take to perform the voyage. 




174 



WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES. 175 

Tall rushes grew on either side of the broad river, which had in places 
a lake-like appearance. The idle crew paddled slowly, amusing them- 
selves by sometimes dashing forward, and then resting, while Kasora had 
the folly to attack the boats of Wanyoro he met coming up the river, 

The frontier line was crossed on the 14th, but they had not proceeded 
far when they saw an enormous canoe of Kamrasi's, full of well-armed 
men, approaching them. The canoe turned, as if the people were afraid 
and the Waganda followed. At length, however, the chased canoe 
turned, and the shore was soon lined with armed men, threatening them 
with destruction. Another canoe now appeared. It was getting dark. 
The only hope of escape seemed by retreating. Speke ordered his fleet 
to keep together, promising ammunition to his men if they would fight. 
The people in one boat, however, were so frightened that they rHowed 
her to spin round and round in the current. 

Brutal Attack by Natives. 

The Wanyoro were stealing on them, as they could hear, plough 
nothing could be seen. One of the boats kept in shore, close to the 
reeds, when suddenly she was caught by grappling-hooks. The men 
cried out "Help, Bana! they are killing us." Speke roared in reply. 
u Go in, and the victory will be ours." When, however, three shots wer« 
fired from the hooked boat, the Wanyoro fled, leaving one of their 
number killed and one wounded, and S^ke and his party were allowed 
to retreat unmolested. 

Speke, after proceeding up the river sonic distance, determined to 
continue the journey by land, following the track Grant had taken. 
Grant's camp was reached, and the next day a melsenger arrived from 
Kamrasi, saying that the king would be glad to see them, and the march 
was ordered to Unyoro. 

The frontier was again passed, when the country changed much for 
the worse. Scanty villages, low huts, dirty-looking people clad in skins, 
the plantain, sweet potato and millet forming the chief edibles, besides 
goats and fowls. No hills, except a few scattered cones, broke the level 
surface of the land, and no pretty views cheered the eye. They were 
now getting to a distance from the rain-attractive influences of the Moun 
tains of the Moon, and vegetation decreased proportionately. Their firsi 
halt was on the estate of the chief Kidjwiga. Scarcely had they been 
established than a messenger page from Mtesa, with a party of fifty 
Waganda, arrived to enquire how Bana was, and to remind him of the 
gun and other articles he had promised to send up from Gani. 

The natives ran off as they passed through the country, believing *hero 



176 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

to be cannibals. They supposed that the iron boxes which the porters 
carried on their shoulders each contained a couple of white dwarfs, which 
were allowed to fly off to eat people. They, however, gained confidence, 
and soon flocked around the Englishmen's huts. 

On arriving at the end of their day's march, on the 2d of September 
ibey were told that elephant;* had been seen close by. Grant and Speke 
therefore, sallied forth with their guns, and found a herd of about a hun- 
dred, feeding on a plain of long grass. Speke, by stealing along undesr 
cover of the high grass, got close to a herd, and fired at the largest. The 
animals began sniffing the air with uplifted trunks, when, ascertaining by 
the smell of powder that the enemy was in front of them, they rolled up 
their trunks, and came close to the spot where he way lying under a 
mound. Suddenly they stopped, catching scent of the white man, and 
lifting their heads high, looked down upon him. Speke was now in a 
dangerous position, for, unable to get a proper front shot at any of them, 
he expected to be picked up or trodden to death As he let fly at their 
temples, they turned round and went rushing aw. y at a much faster pace 
than they came. 

The explorers at length reached Khartoum, having sailed down the 
Nile, and were soon at Berber. 

The two travellers, whose adventures we have thus far followed, em- 
barked foi England, on the 4th of June, on board the " Pera," where 
they safely arrived, after an absence of eleven hundred and forty-six 
days. 

His friends had shortly afterwards to mourn Captain Speke's untimely 
death, from his gun accidentally going off while at shooting. 

Speke was the first European who saw the Victoria Nyanza, while the 
adventurous and hazardous journey he and Grant performed together 
deservedly places them in the first rank of African travellers. They also 
opened up an extensive and rich district hitherto totally unknown, into 
svhich the blessings of Christianity and commerce will soon be intro 



CHAPTER VIII. 
STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 

Remarkable Scenery in Central Africa — Masses of Rocky Mountains —Foliage Brigfe 
with ail the Colors of the Rainbow — Rank Growths of Rushes and Grass— Varieties 
of Animal Life — The Guinea fowl — The Sacred Ibis — The Long-legged Stork 
and Heron — The Wonderful Shoebill— Primeval Forests and Running Streams—* 
Fine Specimens of Flowers — Perpetual Moisture — The Negro's Taste fosf 
Honey —The Fish-eagle — Majestic Flight — An Old Bird — The Eagle Contending 
for its Mate — Remarkable Claws — Turtle Doves and Golden Pheasants — Crows 
and Hawks — Fairy Antelopes — Grave-looking Monkeys — Beautiful Valleys and 
Hillsides — The Beautiful in Nature Marred by Human Cruelty — Cities Built by 
Insects — Waves of Rolling Land — Villages of African Tribes— Stanley's Descrip' 
tion of Tanganyika — Remarkable Lake — Lovely Landscape — A Native Bird — 
Famous Ibis— A Feathered Idol — Stanley's Glowing Description of Tropical 
Scenery — Desert of Sahara — Terrific Sand Storms — Whirlwinds of Dust — Fire 
in the Air — Extraordinary Storm Pillars — Remarkable Reptile Tribes — The 
Curious Gekko — Brilliant Insects— The Traveller's Pests — Remarkable Trees 
and Plants— The Wild Ox— The Wild Pig— Ten Kinds of Antelopes— Elegant 
Animals— Swift Punishment — Famous Gorilla — Inveterate Thieves — Quick Re- 
treat — The Orang-outang — Arms Longer Than Legs — Formidable Foe — Pursuit 
of the Orang-outap —Swinging Easily from Tree to Tree — Expert Climber- 
Hiding Among th, Leaves — The Young O rang— A Motherly Goat — Clevef 
Monkey — Saucy Pet — A Little Thief— An Animal Very Human. 

TANLEY gives the following description of the scenery of Central 
Africa : Unyamwezi is a wide undulating table-land, sinking west- 
ward toward Tanganyika. Any one taking a bird's-eye view of 
the land would perceive forests, a purple-hued carpet of foliage, 
broken here and there by barren plains and open glades, extending 
toward every quarter of the heavens. Here and there rise masses oi 
rocky mountains, towering like blunt cupolas above the gentle undula- 
tions of the land, on to the distant horizon. Standing upon any pro 
jecting point, a scene never before witnessed meets the view. Nothing 
picturesque can be seen; the landscape may be called prosaic and 
monotonous ; but it is in this very overwhelming, apparently endless 
monotony that its sublimity lies. 

The foliage is bright with all the colors of the prism ; but as the 

woods retreat towards the far distance, a silent mystical vapor enfolds 

them, and bathes them first in pale, and then in dark blue, until they are 

lost in the distance. But near the lake all is busy life. The shore 

W. A.— 12 177 



178 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

immediately adjoining the Lake of Ugogo is formed by a morass of at 
least sixty feet wide, and extending on every side. It is an impenetrable 
tangle of luxuriant sedge and rashes, where the unwieldy hippopotamus,, 
going his nightly rounds, has left his watery footsteps imprinted in the 
swamp. Numerous buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, boars, kudu antelopes, 
and other animals come here at nightfall to quench their thirst. 

The shores and surface of the lake are alive with an amazing numbe 
}f aquatic birds — black swans, ducks, sacred ibises, cranes, and pelicans* 
high overhead, watchful for their prey, hover kites and fish eagles ; while 
the shore is vocal with the loud call of the guinea-fowl, the hoarse scream 
of the toucan, the cooing of the pigeons, the hoot of the owl mingling 
with the cry of the snipe and wild fowl rising from the long grass by the 
water's edge. These shores are also the paradise of the long-legged 
stork and the heron, the saddle stork, the marabout, an ugly bird, in 
spite of its wonderful and costly feathers, the giant heron, while the 
curious stilt-bird, or shoebill, of Africa, one of the most singular birds 
of the globe, inhabits the more northern marshlands, vast impenetrable 
morasses of the White Nile, and some of its tributaries. This bird has a 
bulky body, a thick neck, a large head and a curiously formed bill, not 
unlike a clumsy wooden shoe. Its color is an ashy gray, with jet black 
wing feathers. 

The shoebill is the giant of the wading birds and is found in pairs or 
smaller societies as remote as possible from human habitations, mostly in 
the impenetrable swamps of the White Nile and some of its tributaries. 
At the approach of man it flies away, and when frightened by shots it 
rises to a great altitude and never returns to its swamps as long as there 
is any suspicion of danger. This bird selects for its breeding place a 
small elevation in the reeds, either immediately on the border of the 
water or in the swamp, mostly where surrounding water renders an 
approach difficult. 

Wonderful Luxuriance. 

The flora concentrates all its luxuriance in the first months of the rainj> 
Season, leaving the autumn, when the grass of the steppes is withered s tc 
%re less richly. The scenery varies much less than in the most mo- 
notonous districts of our own country, but it has nevertheless its alter- 
nation of clustering groves of bushes, its clearings with noble trees more 
than thirty or forty feet in height, its luxuriant undergrowth broken by 
grassy reaches or copses of tall shrubs. 

Palms play a subordinate part in this scenery ; the fan palms are found 
clustered togethe/ in groves ; -and m the marshy steppes grows the 




STRANGE AFRICAN SHOEBIIJ, 



(179) 



180 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

prickly date, perhaps the primitive type of the date palm. Then come 
the leather-leaved fig trees of ev-ery kind, and among them the grandest 
monuments of African vegetation, the sycamores, together with large* 
leaved tamarinds. 

Very characteristic of the countrj* are the patches of primeval forests, 
watered by running streams, and known by the name of galleries. The 
soil is unusually rich in springs of water, which keep up a perpetua? 
overflow of the brooks ; and while in the northern districts the rivers 
have to find their way across open lowlands where the volume of water 
soon diminishes, and is lost in the parched earth, the country here is like 
a well-filled sponge. The result of this abundant moisture is that the 
valleys and fissures of the earth through which the water flows, whether 
in the form of little brooks and streamlets, or of great rivers, are clothed 
with all the majesty of a tropical forest; while an open park-like glade, 
the chief feature of which appears at the first glance to be the amazing 
size of its foliage, fills up the higher-lying spaces between the water- 
courses and the galleries. The number of distinct types of trees, and 
the variety of forms among the undergrowth, is very great. Trees with 
large trunks, whose height throws into the shade all the previously seen 
specimens of the Nile flora, not excluding the palms of Egypt, are here 
found in serried ranks, without a break, and beneath their shelter the 
less imposing platforms are arranged in terraces. 

Magnificent Forests. 

In the interior of these virgin forests, leafy corridors, rivalling the 
temple walls of Egypt, lie veiled in deep perpetual shadow, and are 
spanned by a triple roof of foliage, rising vault above vault. Seen from 
without, the galleries appear like an impenetrable wall of the densest 
leafage, while from within corridors of foliage open out in every direction 
beneath the columns of the tree stems, and are filled with the murmuring 
voice of springs and water-courses. 

The average height of the roof of leaves measures from seventy-five to 
ninety feet; but very often these galleries, seen from without, by nc 
means produce the imposing effect which is felt from within in looking up 
from the depth of the valley or the water-side ; because in many place? 
the depression of land or water which makes up the gallery or tunnel-likf 
character of the scene scarcely allows half of the forest to rise above the 
level ground, many galleries being entirely sunk in the depression 
Great tree trunks, thickly overgrown with wild pepper, rise from the 
depths, and support wide-spreading branches draped with lichens and 
mosses, above which towers the remarkably fine tree called the elephant's 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 181 

ear, which grows in rich abundance. High up on the branches are seen 
the very large nests built by the " tree-termite." 

Other tree stems, long since dead, serve as supports for colossal vines, 
and with their impenetrable festoons form bowers as large as houses, in 
which perpetual darkness reigns. From the depths of the brushwood 
.gleam flame-red blossoms, and rivalling them in splendor are seen taK 
shrubs bearing large orange bell flowers. The eyes may roam in everj 
direction, and meet with nothing but this unbroken impenetrable greenery 
There where the narrow pathways wind along, partly through and partly 
under the tangle of shrub and bush ascending the valley wall, bare roots 
of trees form the supports which hold the loose friable earth together 
Mouldering trunks, covered with thick mosses, are met with at ever^ 
step, and make our advance through these waves of massive greenery 
anything but easy. The air we breathe is no longer that of the free sun- 
lit steppe, or of the cool leafy paths without ; it is the heavy, humid 
atmosphere of our green-houses. There prevails a constant moisture, 
produced by the breath of the woods itself, and which it is impossible to 
escape. 

A Taste for Honey. 

The Negroes belonging to the caravan, while prowling through the 
backwoods in search of anything eatable, lighted here upon an important 
discovery; their ciy of triumph guided us to the place where they stood 
clustered together round a tree, very busy with their firebrands. They 
b<id discovered in the hollow stem a large quantity of honey, and were 
preparing to secure their treasure with great indifference to the results of 
their attack. Honey, wax, and even the little bodies of the honey- 
makers slain in the combat, were swallowed down by the Negroes with- 
out any distinction. 

One of the birds peculiar to some parts of Central Africa, and men- 
tioned by Stanley, is the fish-eagle. The best known and largest is the 
white-headed eagle. The length is about three feet, and the extent of 
<vings seven feet ; the female is somewhat larger. Its usual food is fish, 
but it eats the flesh of other animals, when it can get it and often seizes 
quadrupeds and birds of inferior flight, and when pressed by hunger wil- 
feed on carrion. The flight of this bird is very majestic ; it sails along 
with extended wings and can ascend until it disappears from view, with 
out any apparent motion of the wings or tail ; and from the greatest 
height it descends with a rapidity, which can scarcely be followed by the 
eye. The power of wing is not more remarkable than the consummate 
skill with which the strong pinions are made to cut the air. 




FISH-EAGLES CONTENDING FOR A PRIZE. 



182 



SlANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 183 

These birds live to a great age. They are generally seen in pairs and 
the union seems to last for life. The attachment of the old birds to their 
young is very great. The breeding season commences about March and 
though each male has but one mate during its entire life, many and fierct 
are the battles, which arise about the possession of these spouses. It is 
a singular circumstance in the formation of this bird that the outer toe 
urns easily backward, so as on occasion to have two of the toes forward 
ind two backward, and it has a much larger claw than the inner one 
This, and the roughness of the whole foot underneath, are well adapted 
for the securing of its prey. During the spring and summer months the 
osprey is frequently seen hovering over the rivers for minutes without 
visible change of place. It then suddenly darts down and plunges into 
the water, whence it seldom rises again without a fish in its talons. When 
it rises in the air it shakes off the water and pursues its way towards the 
woods. 

In one part of his first expedition, Stanley refers to the attractive views 
which greeted him on every side. 

Forest-clad Slopes and Beautiful Valleys. 

Our traveller was now fairly in the midst of African scenes. The 
wilderness was broken only by the little villages which everv now and 
then appeared peeping through the crevices of their wonderful fortresses 
of acacia, and the people were fully up to the average in genuine African 
characteristics. 

Crossing the Ungerengeri, a beautiful river with a broad fertile valley, 
and passing through the narrow belt of country which is all that is left 
to the warlike remnants of the once powerful Wakami tribe, the 
intrepid traveller entered the territory of the Wadoe, a people full 
of traditions, who have always defended themselves bravely against 
the encroachments of neighbors and the invasions of marauders. The 
region they inhabit might well have been guarded by them with jealous 
courage. 

Speaking of it, Mr. Stanley says: It is in appearance amongst the most 
picturesque countries between the coast and Unyanyembe. Great cones 
shoot upward above the everlasting forests, tipped by the light fleecy 
clouds, through which the warm glowing sun darts its rays, bathing the 
whole in a quickening radiance which brings out those globes of foliage 
>hat rise in tier after tier along the hill-sides in rich and varied hues 
which would mock the most ambitious painter's skill. From the wind- 
ing paths along the crest of ridges the traveller may look down over 
forest- clad slopes into the deep valleys, and across to other slopes as 










tiBaHH 




!TJ[FE AND METAMORPHOSIS OF THE DRAGON-FLY. a. THE PERFECT 

INSECT. b. — THE INSECT CASTING OFF ITS WORN-OUT 
NYMPH'S SKIN. C d.~- LARViE AND NYMPHS. 

184 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 185 

ga/ly tkd, and other ridges where deep concentric folds tempt him to 

curious wanderings by their beauty and mystery and grandeur. But 

'hose lovely glades and queenly hills told saddest stories of cruel deeds 

md wrongs irreparable. It is the old story: envious evil eagerly 

invades with its polluting presence those sacred spots where all ig 

loveliest ; infernal malice mars with strange delight what is beautiful and 1 

pure. 

Cities Built by Insects. 

Further on the caravan passed through the thin forests adorned witt 

myriads of marvellous ant-hills, those wonderful specimens of emgineer« 

mg talent and architectural capacity, those cunningly contrived, mode! 

cities, with which the tiny denizens of African wilds astonish the traveller 

continually ; and on across plains dotted with artificial-looking cones and 

flat-topped, isolated mountains, and through marshy ravines, where every 

unlucky step insured a bath in Stygian ooze — the various scenes of south' 

ern Ukonongo — 

w Where the thorny brake and thicket 
Densely fill the interspace 
Of the trees, through whose thick branches 
Never sunshine lights the place" — 

the abode of lions and leopards and elephants and wild boars, one of 

those splendid parks of the wilderness where majestic forests and 

jungles, and lawn-like glades, and reedy brakes and perilous chasms 

all unite to form that climax of wildness and beauty, "f"he hunter's 

paradise." It was just the place to arouse all the Nimrod spirit a man 

possesses , and the two days of rest were turned to good account by 

Mr. Stanley in testing the virtue of his fine rifles on the masters of the 

domain. 

Th?. surface stratum of the country is clay, overlying the sandstone, 
based t*pcm various granites, which in some places crop out, picturesquely 
dispo:*'_d in blocks and boulders and huge domes and lumpy masses ; 
ironstone is met with at a depth varying from five to twelve feet, and 
bits of course ore have been found in Unyanyembe by digging not more 
than four feet in a chance spot. 

« Waves of Rolling Land.'* 

During the rains the grass conceals the soil, but in the dry seasons thfe 
and is gray, lighted up by golden stubbles, and dotted with wind-dis- 
sorted trees, shallow swamps of emerald grass, and wide streets of dark 
mud. Dv/arfed stumps and charred " black jacks " deform the fields, 
which are sometimes ditched or hedged in, whilst a thin forest of para- 
chute-shaped thorns diversifies the waves of rolling land and earth hills* 



186 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

spotted with sunburnt stone. The reclaimed tracts and clearings arc 
divided from one another by strips of primeval jungle, varying from two 
to twelve miles in length, and, as in other parts of Africa, the country is 
dotted with " fairy mounts " — dwarf mounds — the ancient sites of trees 
now crumbled to dust, and the debris of insect architecture. Villages, the 
glory of all African tribes, are seen at short intervals rising only a little 
above their impervious walls of lustrous green milk-bush ; with its coral* 
shaped arms, variegating the well-hoed plains ; whilst in the pasture 
lands herds of many-colored cattle, plump, round-barrelled and high= ! 
humped, like Indian breeds, and mingled flocks of goats and sheep, 
dispersed over the landscape, suggest ideas of barbarous comfort and 
plenty. 

It is astonishing what luxury is conveyed into the heart of Africa by 
Arab merchant-princes. The fertile plain about their villages, kept in 
the highest state of cultivation, yields marvellous abundance and endless 
variety of vegetables, and supports vast herds of cattle, and sheep and 
goats innumerable; while just above the houses the orange, lemon, 
papaws and mangoes may be seen thriving finely. 

Add to these the tea, coffee, sugar, spices, jellies, curries, wine", brandy, 
biscuits, sardines, salmon, and such fine cloths as they need for theii 
own use, brought from the coast every year by their slaves ; associate 
these with a wealth of Persian carpets, most luxurious bedding, complete 
services of silver for tea and coffee, with magnificently carved dishes of 
tinned copper and brass lavers ; and we have a catalogue out of which 
our imagination produces pictures of luxury that, amid the wildness and 
rudeness of that barbarous land, seem more like the magician's work 
than tangible realities, which await the worn-out traveller across six hun- 
dred miles of plains and mountains and rivers and swamps, where a suc= 
cession of naked, staring, menacing savages throng the path in wonder 
at a white face. 

A further description of some of the tropical birds mentioned by 
Stanley will prove of interest to the reader who wishes to obtain & cor 
gest idea of the wonders abounding in Africa. 

A Native Bird. 

Guinea-hens are peculiar to Africa, where they frequent woods on the 
banks of rivers, in large flocks. They feed on grains, grasshoppers and 
other insects. When alarmed they attempt to escape by running, rathei 
than by flight. The common guinea-hen is slate colored, covered all 
over with round white spots and is about the size of the common fowL 
They are very noisy and troublesome, always quarreling with the othef 




18T 



188 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

inmates of the poultry yard, and they are Jard to raise from the delicacy 
of the young and their liability to disease. 

Their flesh is of fine flavor and their eggs are excellent. They are 
great feeders, requiring to be fed beyond what they can pick up by them- 
selves, and are apt to injure tender buds and flowers. The crested guinea- 
lowi or pintado has a crest of black feathers and the body black with blue 
spots ; the mitred pintado has the head surmounted by a conical helmet 
and is black, white spotted. 

The four species of pintado hitherto known are all natives of Africa and 
Df islands adjacent to the African coast. Their mode of feeding is similar 
*.o that of the domestic poultry. They scrape the ground with their feel 
in search of insects, worms or seeds. The females lay and hatch their 
eggs nearly in the same manner as the common hens. The eggs, how- 
ever, are smaller and have a harder shell. Buffon states that there is a 
remarkable difference between the eggs of the domestic guinea-fowls and 
those which are wild ; the latter being marked with small round spots, 
nke those on the plumage of the birds, and the former being, when first 
laid, of a quite bright red and afterwards of the faint color of the dried 
rose. 

The young birds, for sometime after they come into the world, are des- 
titute <>{ the helmet or callous protuberance, which is so conspicuous on 
the heads of the old ones. The guinea-fowl is a restless and clamorous 
bird. During the night it perches on high places and if disturbed, 
alarms every animal within hearing by its cry. These birds delight in 
rolling themselves in the dust for the purpose of ridding themselves of 
Insects. 

The Famous Ibis. 

This is another African bird. There are about half a dozen species o» 
ibis wading bird, including three in the United States. The red or 
scarlet ibis is about twenty-eight inches long, its bill six and one-half 
Inches, and the extent of its wings a little over three feet. This bird, 
whose color is a uniform bright scarlet, is found in South America and 
the West Indies. The white ibis, or white curlew, whose plumage is 
pure white, is very common in the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States £ 
occasionally straggling as far north as New Jersey. Its flesh has a very 
ishy taste and is rarely eaten except by the Indians. 

The glossy ibis, a smaller species, is about twenty-one inches long. 
Its general color is chestnut-brown, with the back and top of head 
metallic green, glossed with purple. It exists in great numbers in 
Mexico and has been found as far north as Massachusetts. Of this genus 




BEAUTIFUL PHEASANT 



(189) 



190 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

there are about twenty species found in the warmer pares of Africa, Asia 
and South America, one of which is the Sacred Ibis of the Egyptians. 
It is about as large as a domestic fowl, and is found throughout Northern 
Africa. 

This bird, which was reared in the temples of ancient Egypt and was 
embalmed, frequents overflowed lands and dry plains and feeds on frogi 
and small aquatic lizards. It is a migratory bird, appearing simulta- 
neously with the rise of the Nile and departing as the inundation 
subsides. It is a remarkable fact, that the ibis does not visit Egypt 
segularly any more as of old, breeding in the Soudan. As soon as it 
arrives there it takes possession of its well-selected breeding places, from 
which it undertakes excursions in search of prey. It is not afraid of the 
natives and can often be seen among the cattle herds picking up a grass- 
hopper here and a frog or lizard there. Dr. Brehm met, on his travels 
up the Blue Nile, so many of this beautiful bird, that he was able to kill 
twenty of them within two days. The female lays three to four white 
eggs of the size of duck eggs. The bird is easily domesticated and is 
found in manv zoological gardens of Europe and America. 

A Feathered Idol. 

In Egypt the ibis was regarded with great veneration by the ancients, 
who kept them in their temples, and embalmed them after their death, 
thousands of their remains are still found in the burial places amid the 
ruins of ancient Egypt. Various reasons have been given for this cus- 
tom, some saying that the ibis destroyed the noxious serpents which 
were so numerous in that country ; others that there was supposed to be 
some analogy between the plumage of the bird and one of the phases of 
the moon ; while a third opinion is that the birds were regarded with 
favor, because, their annual migration into Egypt taking place at the 
period of the rising of the Nile, they were considered as the harbingers 
of that event. 

Stanley's glowing descriptions of tropical scenery find a striking con 
trast of the account given of the African desert, and the perils which 
Dften overtake travellers who attempt to cross it. 

The plain of Sahara is the gieat typical desert. Its name comes from 
in Arabic word, which means the plain. Not that the great desert is by 
any means an unbroken plain, or destitute of great variety in its physical 
characteristics. The true sandy desert occupies but a relatively smali 
portion of the space marked upon our maps as the desert of Sahara ; and 
even upon the surface of this " true " desert the distribution of sand is 
very unequal. The stratum of the sand in some parts is so thin that the 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 191 

underlying limestone is visible through it. The sandy region attains its 
greatest extent in the Libyan desert, and masses of sand still drift in 
from the Mediterranean, to settle down upon a bed which in a recent 
period was buried beneath the waves of the sea. These sand floods 
extend westward to Tripoli. Near that town the sandy stretches are 
varied by plantations of palm trees and fields of corn ; true deserts of 
yellow sand, passing like a yellow ribbon from west to east, between fields 
Wheat and barley. 

Terrific Sand-storms. 

The western Mongolian desert contains plains of sand perfectly corres< 
ponding with those of the Sahara and the Arabian desert. Mounds of 
loose sand are blown together and scattered again by the wind : a mere 
breeeze is enough to wipe out all trace of a long caravan crossing the 
waste. The sand is so extremely fine and light, that in sudden storms 
of wind trenches of thirty or forty feet deep are hollowed out, and 
swelling waves are raised like those of the Libyan desert, making the 
journey tedious and difficult to the camels as they cross the shifting 
plain. 

It is true that large stretches of the plain of Sahara are covered by 
waves of sand, which were once sandy bars and dykes of the sea ; but the 
whole desert is by no means the product of the ocean alone. Very much 
of the sand is of local origin, formed from the soil of the desert plain by 
the sudden changes of temperature and the action of the wind There 
are many such centres of sand radiation, and the mechanically powdered 
fragments of rock are found in every phase of transition from crumbled 
stone to fine drift-sand. The ground above Khartoum, to the west 
of the Nile, consists partly of rose-colored granite, and the whole 
surface of the rifted slope of rock is bestrewn with fragments of different 
sizes. 

Dust whirlwinds of considerable size are sometimes observed in the 
Russian steppes ; but the best known phenomena of this kind are the 
high sand pillars of Sahara. Even in Australia these rotary dust pillars 
are met with, generally being seen upon shadowless plains. It is thought 
that these Australian whirlwinds are the channels which carry the heated 
air from the ground to the higher strata. 

Fiery Wind. 

Instead of the rolling waves and cool breezes of the sea, this funereali 
region only gives out burning gusts, scorching blasts which seem to issue 
from the gates of hell ; these are the simoon or poison-wind, as the word 
signifies in Arab. The camel-driver knows this formidable enemy, and 



192 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

so soon as he sees it looming in the horizon, he raises his hands to 
heaven, and implores Allah; the camels themselves seem terrified at its 
approach. A veil of reddish-black invades the gleaming sky, and very 
soon a terrible and burning wind rises, bearing clouds of fine impalpable 
sand, which severely irritates the eyes and throat. 

The camels squat down and refuse to move, and the travellers have nc 
chance of safety except by making a rampart of the bodies of their beasts, 
and covering their heads so as to protect themselves against this scourge. 
Entire caravans have sometimes perished in these sand-storms ; it was 
one of them that buried the army of Cambyses when it was traversing 
the desert. 

Camp, in his charming work on the Nile, describes in the following 
terms one of these desert tempests. It comes towards one, he says, 
growing, spreading, and advancing as if on wheels. Its overhanging 
summit is of a brick color, its base deep red and almost black. In pro- 
portion as it approaches it drives before it burning efHuv : a, like the breath 
of a lime-kiln. Before it reaches us we are covered ith its shadow. 
The sound it m^ss is like that of a wind passing through a pine-forest. 
So soon as we are in the midst of this hurricane the camels halt, turn 
their backs, throw themselves down, and lay their heads upon the sand. 
After the cloud of dust comes a rain of imperceptible stones, violently 
hurled about by the wind, and which, if it lasted long, would quickly flay 
the skin from those parts of the body unprotected by the clothes. This 
lasted five or six minutes, and was frightful. Then the sky became clear 
again, and gave the same feeling of sudden change to the eye as a light 
suddenly brought into a dark place. 

Extraordinary Storm Pillars. 

Whirlwinds are generally preceded by a sultry, oppressive air ; some- 
times by absolute calm ; but the state of the wind never appears clearly 
connected with the phenomena. The storm pillars vary greatly in form 
the sand columns being generally funnel-shaped, and the water-spouts 
like a pipe surrounded at the base by whirling vapors and foaming water 
The height and diameter are also variable ; some of the highest have 
been estimated at 6,000 feet. In many cases the damage caused by th< 
water is of such a kind as to show that there has been an influx of ail 
from every side toward the base of the column. 

But hurricanes, cyclones, and all the rush and roar of the elements, 
are not more wonderful than the curious forms of animal and insect life 
abounding in the Dark Continent. 

The reptile tribe is represented here by some of its most distinguished 




W. A.— 13 



194 WONDERS OF "THE TROPICS. 

members. The monitor-lizard crawls along the river banks ; the moun* 
tain-monitor frequents the desert; a beautiful turtle lives in the Nile. 
Along the furrows and trenches, nimble bright-colored lizards bask in 
the sun, and the slippery skink burrows in the wall of almost every 
house. Along the walls of the houses dart and glide the nocturnal little 
gekkoes, the greedy but otherwise inoffensive "fathers of leprosy" 
Here and there upon the trees is seen the changeful play of color of the 
familiar chameleon, while other reptiles, often brightly- colored, and some' 
of them more than a yard long, love the desert solitudes. Egypt was 
always famous as the land of snakes. It has about twenty varieties, 
poisonous and non-poisonous. As in the days of Moses, so in our owr 
times, there are a large number of snake charmers ; the snakes whic*» 
they use in their performances, especially the once sacred viper, urau 
snake, and the Egyptian spectacle snake, are always first deprived ci 
their fangs. The snake most frequently depicted by the ancients is the 
very deadly and dangerous horned viper. 

Brilliant Insects. 

In the great insect world Africa has many forms which are known in 
other parts of the world. Day butterflies are scarce, while moths an. 
more abundant. The beetles are not exactly numerous, but among then, 
are some very fine specimens of brilliant beetles, sand beetles, and derm- 
estes. The commonest are the blackbeetles, but the best known of all is 
the sacred scarabee beetle of Egypt, which is so frequently represented 
upon monuments and gems. 

A characteristic scene of animal life, often to be observed both in Cen- 
tral and South Africa, are the manoeuvres of a company of these droll 
little creatures busily employed rolling up manure into globes as large as 
a walnut, pushing and thrusting each other aside until the great business 
is completed, and then, with their heads bent down to the earth, rolling 
away the work of their feet to bury it in a convenient place. The beetle 
rolls up these balls to feed its young, and deposits its eggs in them. In 
che theological symbolism of the ancient Egyptians, these " pills " are 
compared to the substance of which the world was formed, and which 
was also represented as globular. The beetle itself is looked upon as the 
principle of light and creative force, which, in union with the sun, infuses 
into matter the germs of light and creation, as the beetle deposits its eggs 
in the ball. The deity Ptah (that is, the forming and impelling force) 
then gives to these germs their form, and creates the heavens and the 
earth. 

The wasp tribe is also represented by many fine and large varieties. 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 



195 



The bee is nearly akin to our own, and has often been introduced into 
other countries. Ants, locusts, and cockroaches are at times great pests 
The common house-fly is nowhere more bold and importunate, and suc- 
ceeds only too completely in rendering an otherwise pleasant life most 




AFRICAN GEKKO OR WALL-LIZARD. 

disagreeable. The stinging gnat is just as bad, and its unceasing hum ii 
almost more calculated to drive a new-comer to despair than its painful 
burning sting. 

At certain times its worm-like larvse abound in all standing waters, 
swarm in the drinking water, which can only be drunk when strained 



196 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

through a cloth, or, as is the usual practice with the poorer dasses, 
through the coat-sleeve held between the pitcher and the lips. Vermin 
are only too abundantly represented ; fleas, bugs, and lice or every kind 
abound, besides scorpions, tarantulas, centipedes, and leeches, and those 
implacable tormentors of animals, horse-flies and gnats. The monoto= 
nous character of the whole country is perceptible throughout its floral 
and fauna, for in almost every class of the animal world the number o* 
varieties is comparatively small. 

Brambles and Donkeys. 

We now turn our attention to the country lying eastward toward the 
Red Sea. The path Jies through a desert, which is not, however, wholly 
destitute of vegetation ; where, after abundant rain, the valleys are trans- 
formed into verdant pasture lands. The vegetation is most abundant from 
February to April, but the almost tropical heat destroys one plant after 
another, leaving only the more deeply rooted growths for the summer 
months. The plateau-like western portion of the desert resembles, both 
in its appearance and vegetation, the Libyan desert, and is very poc r in 
vegetable life. By far the most common plant of these regions is the 
desert bramble, a half-shrub, with flowers like its kindred plant, the 
radish ; it is this plant especially which, when seen from afar, gives to the 
valley the appearanee of green meadow -land. 

The wise Egyptian donkey, nothwithstanding the preference shown by 
his European kindred for thistles, is prudent enough to keep at a respect 
ful distance from this plant, which the hard-mouthed dromedary can eat 
with great relish ; chewing the prickly masses without losing one drop of 
blood ; he even swallows with delight the thorns of the acacia. In many 
places a plant resembling broom grows freely ; it is a long branched, 
almost leafless bush, much liked by camels. 

Shadowy groves of tamarisk, frequented by many birds and insects, 
often surprise us in the midst of the most barren solitudes ; and wherever 
the soil has received any moisture, willows and rushes refresh the eye of 
the traveller. Cassia ranks high among the list of medicinal plants found 
in the desert, and colocynth, with its creeping cucumber-like stems, filled 
with fruit resembling our apple, first green and then turning yellow, is 
found along all the outskirts of the valleys. The nafives have a whole- 
some awe of the drastic remedy, and scarcely ever touch the gourd fruit? 
while the Bedouins remove the inside pith and seeds, and fill it with milk, 
to take it next day as a remedy. 

The date palm, it is true, is seldom seen, and then only in a half-wild 
State ; but the fig tree is found laden with fruits. The fruit of the capet 




GIGANTIC BEETLE. 



197 



198 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

tree tastes like an odd mixture of sugar and mustard ; and the traveller 
Is refreshed by the pleasant acid of the sorrel, the berries of the lycium, 
a thorny plant. The coast flora of the desert is very peculiar, and depends 
upon the salt vapors rising from the sea. The dense woods of the shore 
are famous in travellers' descriptions ; they stand out in the sea itself, and 
are only dry at low tide. Ships are laden with its wood, which is used 
for fuel, and many camels live entirely on its great laurel-like leaves. The 
coast is covered in some places to great distances by saltpetre shrubs, 
and by many other saline plants. 

The traveller who is forced to provide himself with food by his rifle in 
die chase devotes his attention chiefly to the wild oxen, wild pigs, and 
different kinds of antelopes which provide him with eatable food when 
there are no tame creatures, such as goats, sheep, fowl, and fish to be 
met with. The latter case, however, is seldom experienced, for domestic 
animals are sure to be found wherever there are Negro settlements. 

The wild ox is the same as the short-horned breed, also found in 
East Africa. The wild pig, which is also found, and frequently makes its. 
appearance in herds, is known as the long-eared pig. Its color is a dark 
yellowish red. The flesh is pleasant as food, and is liked also by Negroes. 
The wild pigs are generally caught by the help of spears and pits dug to 
snsnare them. These traps make certain parts of the woods rather dan- 
gerous to walk in, and the traveller has to submit blindly to his guides, 
who are taken from the adjoining neighborhood, and who know exactly 
where such traps are laid. In the east and the south, this " most beauti- 
ful of all possible pigs " is replaced by the bush pig, while the whole of 
Central Africa is the home of the clumsiest and ugliest of all known bristly 
animals, the wart-hog. 

Elegant Animals. 

There are at least ten kinds of antelopes in the forests of Gaboon and 
the district of the Ogowe, from the elegant little dwarf antelope, which 
stands scarcely twenty inches high, to the white-striped antelope of Bango. 
which reaches the size of a fallow deer. Large herds of these animals P 
which are so frequently found in the open plateaus of Central Africa, are 
naturally unknown in the dense woods of the western part of the con-' 
tinent. From the exceptional character of the animals, their extreme 
shyness and speed, they are very hard to capture in the chase, and even 
the Negroes generally catch them only in pits. Indeed, a successful 
hunt, with a large amount of booty, is a very rare occurrence. Although 
the woods are filled with game, the traveller seldom comes across them, 
and it is a mistaken notion to imagine that one has but to enter the high 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA 199 

woods of the Tropics, and fire away right and left, in order to bring home 
an abundance of food. 

Of the larger beasts of prey, the leopard is represented ; it is met with 
all along the west coast, and is erroneously termed a tiger. It is very 
abundant in certain districts, and particularly dangerous to the herds of 
goats and flocks of sheep belonging to the factors and the Negroes; 
indeed, it sometimes attacks men. When our traveller was spending a 
lew days in a village of Banschaka, it happened that a woman who went 
late at night to a well about half a mile from the huts did not return, and 
on the following day evident traces of the disaster were discovered. It 
was, as usual, firmly believed among all the Negroes of the west coast, 
that the event was not in the natural order of things, but that some one 
in the village, transformed into a leopard, had devoured the woman. 

Swift Punishment. 

The family of the unhappy woman went to the priest and magician of 
the place, who soon discovered the culprit, and sentenced him to eat the 
poisonous bark of a tree, which paralyzes the action of the heart, and 
occasions certain death if it is not speedily expelled from the system. 

It may be readily imagined that accidents frequently occur in the great 
(African hunts, as it is quite impossible to speculate upon the species of 
jnimals that may be driven into the net. One day a native was suddenly 
Attacked and was killed by a leopard within a mile of my station, 
The grass had been fired, and the animals instinctively knew that they 
were pursued. 

The man went to drink at a stream close to some high bushes, when a 
leopard pounced upon him without the slightest warning. A native who 
was close to the spot rushed up to the rescue, and threw his spear with 
such dexterity that he struck the leopard through the neck while it had 
the man in its mouth, killing it upon the spot. The man was immedi- 
ately brought to me, but the lungs wete lacerated, and he died during the 
night. 

On another occasion five men were wounded (two fatally) by a lioness, 
which fought so gallantly that she at length escaped from her assailants 
with two spears in her body. I was not present on that occasion, but I 
have frequently admired the pluck of the natives, who attack every 
animal with the simple hunting-spear, which of course necessitates a close 
approach. 

The Negroes eat everything in the shape of flesh, except the feline 
beasts of prey. Some of the smaller kinds of felines are as dangerous 
to poultry as are the large species of falcons and eagles. With respect 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 201 

to several kinds of flesh which are considered by us to be uneatable, we 
may say that different kinds of monkeys, porcupines, large rats, croco- 
diles, and other creatures, are used for food. It is very singular that the 
Negroes do not understand the milking of their domestic animals, and 
were *bove measure astonished when the explorers' servants milked the 
goats, and gave the milk to their master ; and the Negroes often sur- 
rounded him in crowds to see him eat hens' eggs, a diet quite new to, 
chem, although they ate numbers of the large round eggs of the turtle,\ 
and the still larger crocodile eggs. 

Mosquitoes abound everywhere , and next to them ranks an insect 
which has only been known in Africa during the last ten years — the sand 
flea, which is said to have been brought by the crew of a Brazilian ship 
who were suffering from them. They multiplied with incredible rapidity. 
The animalculae enter the skin beneath the toe-nails, where they lay a 
bag of eggs as large as a pea ; and the difficulty is to remove this bag 
without breaking it. If this is done, the wound soon heals ; but if not, 
painful sores are the result, and the process of healing is very slow. 
Another interesting insect is the giant beetle, Goliath, an insect measur- 
ing nearly four inches. This black velvety beetle, marked with white on 
its upper side, is at home throughout all Africa; and, with its kindred 
types, forms one of the principal treasures of our collections, being so 
much in request that twenty-five dollars is paid for a fine specimen. 

The Famous Gorilla. 

The most interesting animals of these countries are beyond all doubt 
the gorilla and the chimpanzee. The gorilla is the largest of the man- 
like apes, an animal rather shorter, but considerably more broad- 
shouldered than a strong man. Although the gorilla was mentioned 
more than 2,000 years ago, by Hanno, the commander of a Carthaginian 
fleet, it is even now very imperfectly known. If the statements respect- 
ing the strength and savageness of the gorilla are only half true, there is 
little prospect of ever being able to bring over full-grown specimens to 
America ; and the young gorilla presented to the zoological garden of 
Berlin unfortunately fell a victim to the foreign climate. Even the skin, 
skeleton, and remains of the gorilla preserved in spirits, are ranked 
^mong the greatest treasures of our Natural History Museums. 

The second representative of the African man-like apes is compara- 
tively frequent, and is well-known under the name of the chimpanzee, 
though few full-grown specimens have been brought to this continent ; 
it is much smaller, slenderer, and more elegantly built than the gorilla, 
and often measures sixty inches in length. While the gorilla frequents 






«'; 



*,".* 



\Fp^ i , - mm 








202 



THE WORUD-RENOWNED GORILLA 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 203' 

the densest woods, and is only found in the lands near the coast, the 
chimpanzee inhabits the whole of the West African sub-division, and 
seems to prefer being near the open clearings of the forests ; both kinds 
of ape feed principally on fruits, nuts, and the young shoots of trees, 
perhaps also on roots. 

As to the mental qualities of the chimpanzee in captivity, much has 
heen written, and it is agreed thai: the animal may be ranked among the 
most highly gifted of its race. It not only learns to know its master, tc 
love its friends, and avoid its enemies ; it is not only inquisitive, but 
actually desirous of knowledge. Any object which has once excited 
its attention increases in value as soon as it has learned how to use it, 
the chimpanzee is cunning, self-willed, but not stubborn, desiring what is 
good for itself, betraying humor and caprices ; one day cheerful anf 
excited, another depressed and sullen. 

A Very Human Animal. 

When ill, it is patient under the surgeon's knife ; and, according 1\ 
Brehm, if not entirely human, has a great deal of the human within it 
It cannot therefore excite our surprise that the natives of West Africa 
are of opinion that the chimpanzees were once men, who, on account cf 
their bad qualities, have been thrust out from human companionship ; and 
still persisting in yielding to their evil impulses, have gradually sunk tc 
their present degraded condition. Less is known of the chimpanzee in 
L state of freedom ; like the gorilla, it does not live in troops, as do othei 
monkeys, but in pairs, or even alcne; it is only occasionally that the 
young are seen to assemble in larger bands. The chase is difficult. From 
twenty to thirty skilled hunters are required for the pursuit. To them is 
entrusted the difficult commission of climbing up the trees for more than 
eighty feet, trying to outdo the chimpanzee in speed, and to capture it 
in the nets, after which it is easily despatched by lances. 

When thus brought to bay, the apes defend themselves with savage 
fury, sometimes snatching the spears from the hunter's hand, and strik- 
ing out wildly right and left ; and even more dangerous than this method 
of defence is the grip of their pointed teeth, and the amazing muscular 
power of their nervous arms. Here, as in the woods on the .western 
coast, legends are current of their carrying off human beings, and of the 
curious nest which it is said they build of leafy branches in the crest o? 
the forest trees. 

We must not omit to mention the smaller kinds of apes ; for although 
they are very numerous in all the primeval woods of the tropical belt of 
Africa, they are principally found along the west coast and near the 



204 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

Upper Nile. The name sea-cats, by which they are sometimes known, 
was given centuries ago to these merest and prettiest specimens of the 
monkey tribe, because they were brought over the sea to Europe, and 
because something in their shape resembles the cat. The favorites of 
the children, the nimble, quarrelsome, amusing inhabitants of our men* 
igeries and zoological gardens, which sometimes win from the grave 
man of science a smile, belong to this category. The greyish green 
monkey, the slate-colored, white-bearded Diana, the ill-tempered black 
monkey, the reddish huzzar monkey, and numerous other kinds, are 
included in this family. 

It is a real pleasure to meet with a band of these monkeys in the for- 
est; it is a wild chaos of busy life, crying and fighting, quarrelling and 
.econciliation, climbing, running, pilfering and plundering, grimacing 
and contortion. They recognize no leader of their commonwealth, 
except the strongest of their race ; they acknowledge no law but that 
enforced by the sharp teeth and strong hands of their chief; they con- 
sider that no danger can exist from which he is not able to set them ~?ee, 
they adapt themselves to every position, have no fear of drought or fam- 
ine, and spend their lives in perpetual activity and merriment. Then 
chief characteristic is the combination of most amusing earnestness with 
boundless frivolity, which accompanies the beginning and end of all their 
pursuits. 

Inveterate Thieves. 

No tree crest is too high, no treasure too safely hidden, no property 
too respected, for their attacks. It is therefore not astonishing that the 
natives of East Soudan only speak of them with unutterable contempt 
and anger. " Only think, sir, the clearest proof of the godless nature of 
monkeys may be seen in their never bowing before the word of God'i 
ambassadors : all other creatures honor and revere the prophet ; Allah's 
peace be upon him ! The monkeys despise him. The man who writes 
an amulet, and hangs it up in his field to keep off the hippopotamus, the 
elephant, and the monkeys from devouring his fruit and injuring his 
property, always finds that the elephant alone pays any heed to the 
Warning signal ; that is because he is a righteous beast, while the ape has 
been transformed by the wrath of Allah into an abomination to all men', 
a child of the unrighteous one, just as the hippopotamus is the forbidding 
image of the loathsome sorcerer." 

But for the impartial spectator it is an attractive and interesting spec* 
tacle to watch a band of monkeys setting off upon their predatory expe« 
ditions. The audacity they displayed used to delight me as much as it 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 205 

enraged the natives. Under the leadership of the old veteran father of 
the tribe they approach the corn fields, the females carrying their young 
before them, instead of on their backs ; the young ones, to make them- 
selves perfectly secure, twist their short tails round the tail of their lad> 
mother. At first they approached with great circumspection, travelling 
generally from one tree top to another. 

The old leader goes first, the others following exactly in his steps, not 
only seizing the same trees, but the same portion of the same branch. 
From time to time the leader climbs the highest tree, and sui ;-<?ys the 
country with careful glances : if his examination is satisfactory, the good 
news is announced to his followers by a low gurgling sound ; if not, the 
usual warning is given. When close to the field, the band descends the 
tree, and hastens in vigorous leaps towards its paradise, and then the 
work begins with indescribable rapidity. First of all they lay in a stock. 
Quickly are the clusters of maize and ears of durrah torn down and 
stuffed into the mouth, until the cheeks are distended to the uttermost, 
and not until these storehouses are full do the marauders allow them- 
selves any relaxation. They then begin to be more particular and dainty 
in the choice of their food. All the ears and clusters are carefully sniffed 
and examined after being broken off; and if, as is often the case, they do 
not come up to the required standard, they are at once thrown away. It 
may be safely said that of nine clusters which are gathered, only one is 
eaten; and generally the epicures only take a grain or two out of each 
ear, and then throw the rest away. 

Quick Ketreat. 

All the members of the band place implicit confidence in the care and 
prudence of their leader. The latter often rouses himself from the inutn 
dainty morsel to attend to his duties, standing upright on his hind legs, 
and looking keenly round. After each survey he announces the result 
either by the gurgling sound, which indicates that he has seen nothing 
disquieting, or by the peculiar inimitable quivering cry of warning. 
When that sound is heard, his followers are gathered together in a mo- 
ment, the mothers call their young ones, and all ate at once ready foi 
flight. The retreat is accomplished without the slightest sign of terror 
or cowardice. 

The gorilla and monkey tribes appear to be closely allied to the 
orang-outang, found in some of the tropical islands. W^ here quote 
from the interesting narrative of a tropical traveller, who captured several 
Qrangs : 

This monkey is found in Borneo, and thither Thursday (Thursday wag 

39 



206 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

a native)— now grown more civilized and more indispensable—and ! 
! urned our faces. We took passage on a craft going out with Chinese 
laborers, and a hard voyage we had of it, with head winds and a heavy 
sea. But at last, ten days late, we arrived at Saraouak, and immediately 
jnquired of the native hunters where we could best ficd the game for 
which we were in search. They advised the Sadong River, running to 
the east from Saraouak, and bordered its entire length with dense forests, 
I hired a Dyak porter to carry our provisions, and we set out. Twc 
days later we were floating on the river, and my ardent desire was aboul 
to be gratified. 

Anns Longer than Legs. 

Orang-outang is a word meaning in Borneo, "Man-of-the-Fo-est,' s 
and is applied to what is now a species of small stature, rarely five feet 
high, but of stalwart build, the body being often in circumference two- 
thirds of the height. His arms are a quarter longer than his legs, so 
that when travelling on all fours his attitude is half upright; but he never 
really stands on his legs like a man, popular belief to the contrary not* 
withstanding. When young his color is tawny, but he grows black with 
years. 

The orangs live hi couples in the most secluded parts of the forest, and 
are never active, like the chimpanzees, but sit all day with their legs 
round a branch, their heads forward in the most uncomfortable attitude, 
occasionally uttering mournful sounds. When pursued they climb slowly 
up a tree, and at night sleep in the huts built to cover their young, of 
which they are very careful, and whose wants they supply with almost 
human tenderness and devotion. When taken young they are suscep- 
tible of taming and domesticating, like the chimpanzee, but as they grow 
older they become cross and violent, and, curiously enough, the fore« 
head— prominent in the adult — becomes retreating in later years. 

Formidable Foe. 

After waiting some days without seeing any orangs, my native guide 
idvised our going away from the river, deeper into the unbroken forest^ 
and this we did, a two days' march. One morning, just as I had killed 
and was examining a queer wild pig, I heard a rustling in the leaves ove? 
my head, and looking up, was paralyzed with surprise to see, some 
twenty-five or thirty feet above me, an enormous orang-outang quietly 
seated on a tamarind branch, watching me and grinding his teeth. My 
porter was making me elaborate signals of distress which Thursday 
translated into advice to shoot the beast, who was old and fully grown 
with my explosive-ball rifle. 




207 



208 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

" He s?<ys he is an evil one," added Thursday, " and that the old orangs 
are very dangerous and will attack a man at sight." 

"All right" I replied. <c If he offers to attack us, I will stop him 
(promptly with a bullet." 

It is true that one of my most ardent desires was to obtain a skeleton 
of a fully-de (/"eloped orang-outang, but I decided to postpone the gratifi- 
cation of it until I should have watched the animal's movements in a 
state of absolute freedom. I told my men to clap their hands and shout^ 
to scare him, but all he did was to sit and grind his teeth ; and I was 
almost persuaded to try my Dyak's advice, when the orang-outang 
coolly grasped a branch hanging near, and swung himself slowly from 
tree to tree without any apparent effort, about as fast as we could walk 
beneath. We followed him until the dense undergrowth made the path 
impracticable. An athlete would have performed this trapeze act with, 
perhaps, more grace, but nothing could surpass ^he indolent ease with 
which he left us behind. 

Must Kill or be Killed. 

This was my first interview with this peculiar animal ; and the super- 
stitious Dyak assured Thursday, relating numerous parallel cases, that as 
I had not killed the orang, the orang would certainly kill me. He said 
he had known a great many travellers who had been attacked by them 
and killed, and that I would soon join their number, although he con- 
fessed that he had never himself been present at such a misfortune. 

One morning, as I was returning from a long walk through tk«2 
woods in search of insects, one of my boys came running toward me. 
shouting with excitement, " Quick, take your gun ! a large orang, a large 
orang ! " 

He had only breath enough left to tell me the animal w«s up the path 
toward the Chinaman's camp, and I hurried in that direction followed by 
two Dyaks. One barrel of my gun was loaded with ball, and I sent 
Charley — the boy — back to camp for more ammunition, in case I should 
find the game had kindly waited for me. We walked carefully, making 
almost no noise, stopping every now and then to look round ourselves, 
until Charley rejoined us at the spot where he had seen the orang, and 
I put ball in the other barrel and waited, sure that we were near thfc 
game. In a moment or two I heard a heavy body moving from tree to 
tree, but the foliage was so thick we could see nothing. 

Finally, fearing I might lose him entirely, I fired at guess into a tree in 
which we thought he must be. For so large an animal he moved with 
remarkable swiftness and silence, but I felt sure, if we could follow his 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 209 

general course, we should eventually catch sight of him in some more 
open bit of forest. And so it proved. 

Cutting Down the Tree. 

Just at the spot where he had first been seen by Charley, and to which 
we had now got back, his tawny side and black head appeared for an 
instant ; I saw him cross the path, dragging one leg as if it had been 1 
broken. At any rate, he could not use it, and he took refuge between 
two branches of a lofty tulip-tree, sheltered from sight by the thick 
growth of glossy leaves. I was afraid he would die up there, and I 
should never get him or his skeleton. It was no use trying to get the 
Dyaks to climb the tree and cut the branch from under him ; they were 
afraid, and said so. We tried to dislodge him with all sorts of missiles, 
but in vain. Finally we started to cut down the tree ; but when the 
trunk was severed the tree only leaned over, and was held in that position 
by innumerable tough vines running to a dozen neighboring trees. It 
would take us all night to cut them all down ; still, we began the work, 
which almost immediately gave the tree such a shaking that down came 
the gigantic orang with a tremendous thud. When we came to measure 
him, we found him a giant indeed, stretching from hand to hand over six 
feet. When he fell the Chinamen lashed him to a litter and carried him 
into camp, where it took Charley and myself all day to clean his skin and 
boil the flesh from his skeleton. From this and many similar experiences 
I have become convinced that, in spite of stories to the contrary, the 
orang-outang never attacks man. His policy is always flight, and to my 
own testimony is added that of all the Chinese wood-cutters whom I mei 
in Borneo ; and the island is full of them. 

A Young Orang. 

Soon after this a young orang fell into my hands, and I determined to 
rear hiri if I could. I started the Dyak off in search of a goat, and told 
him nc to return until he found one. Meanwhile I mixed sugar, bread, 
and water together, and, although at first he declined it energetically, he 
soon sucked it from my finger with a decided gusto. It proved, how- 
ever, too strong food for so young a stomach, and I was just beginning 
to think he would die on my hands, when the Dyak, followed by a 
Chinaman and a goat, came into camp. The Chinaman was sharp at 
trading ; but finally, after pretending that I cared nothing whatever about 
his goat, and after long haggling on his part, starting at one hundred 
rupees (twelve dollars and fifty cents) and coming down to five, the goat 
became mine, and the little orang-outang obtained a step-mother thai 
soon rivalled its own mother in tenderness. She nursed it and caressed 
w. A.— 14 




APES AMONG THE TREES 



210 



STANLEY'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA. 211 

it exactly as if it had been her own, and a very pretty sight it was. He 
soon grew large enough to travel on his own sturdy legs, at any sudden 
alarm running quickly back to his nurse and clinging to her with his 
sinewy fingers. 

When he strayed away out of her sight in the woods, it was really 
pathetic to hear her bleatings and his answering cries. He had gradu« 
3.11y come to know me, and he treated us all with the greatest gentleness* 
When he was three months old I began to give him bananas, of which 
he was very fond, and he afterward became accustomed to other fruits J 
but nothing ever pleased him like the goat's milk. 

He learned very quickly, and at five months knew all objects in my 
tent by name, bringing to me anything I called for, which was certainly 
more than many children of two or even three years could have done. 
But with the latter, development progresses with giant strides after that 
age, while with an orang it ceases. What an animal is at one year of 
age he always remains. 

A Clever Monkey. 

One morning a Chinaman came to offer for sale a tiny monkey which 
he had partially tamed. This little animal looked like a pygmy beside 
my young orang, but he could do a variety of things, like feeding him- 
self, etc., that the larger was not yet up to. So I bought him, and put 
them in the same hut, where they soon became fast friends ; the monkey, 
on account of his more perfectly developed faculties, being easily master. 

When he wanted to sleep nothing would do but that the orang must 
lie down too, and let him pillow his head on him. But there was 
another side to this ; for the orang-outang looked upon him as a kind of 
doll, invented for his particular enjoyment, and when he felt in playful 
mood, he would seize the monkey by the ear or the neck or the tail, and 
swing him round and hold him in any uncomfortable position at his own 
sweet will. The monkey would rage and even weep, but only interfer- 
ence on our part would stop this rough treatment. He learned early, as 
all animal? do, to distinguish the members of our party and their rela« 
iions, and, as master, he always treated me with respectful obedience. 

I taught him to eat rice boiled in milk, and to use a spoon and bowl 
..ike his little friend, who, by the way, was fond of stealing from him all 
he safely could. They were both gluttons, and nothing amused Thurs- 
day more than to set them quarrelling over some bit of choice fruit. As 
the orang's teeth grew, his temper and character became more pro- 
nounced, and, like an ill brought-up child, he wished all around hlra to 
give way to his whims. 



212 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

He had no consideration whatever for the Dyak, who washed and 
tended him with the greatest patience, but tried to pull his hair and bite 
him whenever the mood seized him. I named him Joseph and the mon- 
key Jack— after my chimpanzee friend — and they answered promptly to 
their names when called, without mistake. I was proud of them and 
iheir accomplishments, and tempted to send them home to some natural- 
1st, but chance prevented. You should have seen them — Jack, a napkir 
round his neck, seated at a corner of the table eating slowly with fork 
and spoon, like any well-taught child : Joseph, with a napkin over his 
arm, waiting upon him as solemnly as an English butler. To be sure, 
they stole the best fruit — but then, no one is perfect ! It was with a rea) 
pang that I left these little fellows behind with a friend, to whom I gave 
them on my departure from Borneo. 

Perhaps this is the only case on record of the growth in captivity of a 
young orang-outang, and it is interesting to note in what ways he 
resembled a child. When very young he lay nearly always on his back t 
with his legs in the air, and when he wanted anything he simply put his 
head back and howled till he got it. When he first began to walk it 
was with the same timid hesitation that a child does, and when he suc- 
ceeded in taking a few steps without falling, he glanced at us with a 
very human look of triumph. The appearance of the goat always caused 
him a high degree of satisfaction, expressed, again like a child on the 
entrance of its mother, by little sighs of contentment. I may say, indeed, 
that up to the age of four or five months 1 saw nothing different in him 
from what I have remarked in a child except that difference of develop- 
ment mentioned before. 



CHAPTER IX. 
A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER, 

grilling Incidents in the Life of Baldwin— A Man of Rare Atibimtwrm*— -ftoN? 
Hunter — Kaffirs and Hottentots — Terrible Drought — Two Stately Girarfes — A 
Rickety Old Wagon — Trouble With an Ancient Musket — Greedy Kaffir — Hostile 
Natives — Loud Talk and Bluster — The Land for Brilliant Sport— Troop of 
Elephants — The Buffalo and Rhinoceros — Bright and Burning Sun — Story of a 
Little African — Swimming a Turbid River — In Pursuit of a Huge Elephant- 
Crashing Through the Thicket — Hunter Charged by an Elephant — Fat Meat and 
Half-starved Natives — Immense Beasts Disappear Like Magic — Canoes Upset 
and their Crews Drowned — Race of Savages Always at War — Covetous Chief— 
An Open Air Dinner — Kaffir Girls for Waiters — Description of Kaffir Beauties — 
Roasted Giraffe for Dinner— An Unscrupulous Rascal — Trying to Get the Best of 
the Ba'^ain — In Pursuit of Elands— Riding at a Slashing Pace — Floundering 
Among Pit-falls — Another Encounter With Elephants — Perilous Situation — In 
Close Contact With an Immense Beast — Shots That Went Home — A Famous 
Bird— Pathetic Death of a Dog — Combats With Tigers — Exciting Events in the 
Jungle — Indiscriminate Combat — Savage Charge by a Buffalo — Caught Among 
Prickly Thorns — Beast -that Cannot Be Driven — Chase of the Giraffe— Unique 
Animal — Eyes of Wonderful Beauty — Elegant Roan Antelope — Crisis of Fate — A 
Herd of Harrisbucks — The Plumed Ostrich — Ingenious Method of Getting 
Water — Ostrich Chicks — Not Particular as to Food. 

'S our object is to present every pnase of life in the Continent of 
Africa, not merely following those great explorers whose aim is 
to make discoveries, prepare the way for commerce, and change 
the character of the savage races, but to also follow the adven- 
tures of the chase, we present some remarkable incidents in the life of 
William Charles Baldwin, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, 
whose graphic description of his life in South Africa may well be re-pro- 
duced here and will certainly be read with absorbing interest. 

Mr. Baldwin was not only a scholarly man, well fitted by natural attain 
ments to hold the position of member of the Royal Geographical Society, 
but he was a very spirited hunter, a man fond of the jungle and the plain;, 
a man of great nerve and endurance, and probably no hunter in Africa 
can tell so many thrilling tales as he. To some of these we now invite 
the reader's attention, and we shall allow Mr. Baldwin to narrate his 
adventures in his own language. 

He says : I am now left entirely to my own devices in the deserts of 
South Africa, with three Kaffirs, two Hottentots, a driver and after* 

213 



214 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

rider, a wagon, eighteen oxen, a cow and calf, five horses and seven dogs, 
with guns, pow der and lead, beads, wire, and supplies of tea, coffee, meal c 
etc., for a twelvemonth at least. 

It is a great change to find myself entirely alone after the row and 
racket of hitching up eleven wagons daily, but it is my own doing, and 
from my own choice. This is the beginning of the new Kaffir chiefs 
reign; he is talking very largely, and has succeeded in frightening my 
Hottentots considerably, and they come to me with long faces to know 
what I will do. My answer is, " Hitch up at once, and get through his 
country as quick as possible." A full complement of elands and 
giraffes have fallen to our rifles, and a lion killed one of our oxen one 
pitch dark night and escaped unhurt. 

Terrible Drouth. 

I bought for beads about 600 lbs. of Kaffir corn, and the wagon is 
very heavy. The poor oxen are much to be pitied, having to drag it 
through deep, heavy sand, under a broiling sun, without one drop of 
water to cool their throats for two days. We must travel most of the 
night, too, as in the heat of the day they cannot move. A drop of cold, 
clear, sparkling water would be the greatest luxury that could be set 
before me just now; what we do get is stagnant, muddy stuff, from pits 
made by the Kaffirs, which they carefully fence round with hack-thorns 
to keep the game from drinking them dry. Two stately giraffes walked 
yesterday parallel with the wagon, not more than 400 yards off, for 
nearly half an hour, and we did not molest them, as we had a super- 
abundance of flesh for men and dogs. 

This has been almost the driest season ever known, and travelling in 
in this thirst-land is no easy matter; you must undergo great hardships 
and much anxiety for your poo/ live-stock. I have sad misgivings about 
my wagon, which is twenty-seven years old, and very shaky and rickety; 
but perhaps, with the aid of green hides and rhinoceros skin, she may 
hold together. There are hardships enough in travelling in the thirst- 
land without the anxiety of fearing lest your old wagon should leave you 
*n the deseit far from any human assistance. I believe I have almost 
every other requisite for exploring the continent — health, strength, a con- 
stitution well inured to the climate, a constant supply of good spirits, a 
knack of gaining the good-will of the Kaffirs, natives, and Hottentots, 
who will go anywhere and do anything for me, as I always lend a hand 
at anything, and study their comforts as well as my own. I have no ties 
of kindred or friends here to make me wish myself among them. I never 
weary with vain regrets, but always make myself happy, and endeavor to 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 215 

make the best of everything, and interest myself in the journey 
throughout. 

I have now got a two-grooved rifle, the most perfect weapon I ever 
handled. It shoots perfectly true with any charge of powder, but the 
recoil will, I fear, twist me out of the saddle. 

The reader will perceive that Baldwin is narrating events as they were 
*®corded in his journal from day to day. 

Trouble With an Old Musket. 

A Kaffir brought an old musket to be mended, and, in botching away 
at the lock, I succeeded in breaking it in two places beyond my skill to 
mend. Although I tried to explain to him that it was accidental, and 
that I was doing all J could to assist him without any compensation, and 
had worked unremittingly at it for near two days, and that it was useless 
to him when he brought it, and consequently it was no worse now, he 
would listen to nothing : I had broken his gun, and I must give him 
another ; and, being a great man, brother to Chapeau, the captain, and 
having a strong force at command, I was forced to submit, take his 
old useless musket, and give him one three times the value. There is no 
arguing with a Kaffir ; he said that Wilson, a white man, did the same 
■ — that is, broke his gun in endeavoring to mend it, and instantly went to 
the wagon and gave him a new one. I do not doubt that he did so, as 
he had a lot of muskets. In the Kaffirs' eyes a gun is a gun. 

A party of Bamangwatos followed the wagon, well armed with spears, 
axes, bows and arrows, and two guns, saying that I must not hunt in 
their country until I first paid them for leave to do so ; and that if I did 
not do so, and persisted in hunting, they would kill us all. My fellows 
talked very big, especially Auguste, a large, powerful Kaffir, saying that 
if they wanted to fight they must come on ; we were quite ready for 
them at any moment, having plenty of guns and powder. I said nothing, 
but let things take their course, and merely ordered the wagon to go on, 
and left the Bamangwatos to do whatever they thought best. At night I 
served out plenty of powder and bullets, a watch was kept, and every 
man had his gun handy. My fellows talk largely, but what they would 
do in case of an actual skirmish I don't know. I don't place much con- 
fidence in one of them, nor do I fear the Kaffirs, unless thev can catch 
me unprepared — and I and my gun are constant companion; , 
A Land for Brilliant Sport. 

This river appears of immense breadth ; nor do I see any possible way 
of crossing it, as I do not know where the stream runs to, and, as far as 
the eye can reach, there is nothing to be seen but reeds so tall and thM& 



216 BONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

that it is impossible to force your way through them. The**£ i° safe har« 
Dor here for all the game and wild animals in South Africa. I never sav. 
anything like it, and my Hottentots say it is the same all the way to 
Lake Ngami, about thirteen days from here in a wagon. It is not far> 
but the sand is so heavy that the oxen can only take slow and short 
stages. We have plenty of good water now, but the frightful annoyance 
from mosquitoes at night counterbalances this advantage. I know of no 
country in the world that can compare with Africa for brilliant sport, but 
it must be confessed that this part of it is a sandy desert only fit to keep 
a few miserable goats in existence. There is not a bite of grass now 
except along the edge of the reeds, but then it is winter. Although the 
sun is overpowering in the day, it is very cold in the early mornings and 
at nights, and it requires a considerable amount of courage to get from 
under the blankets before sunrise. 

I found yesterday the fresh trail of a troop of elephants, some very 
large bulls and cows intermixed, and tracked them to the water. Last 
night all the dogs were made fast, and small fires only allowed, as we were 
by far too near the elephants' trail with the wagon ; but, luckily, the wind 
was right, and John and I went this morning, as soon as it was light 
enough to see, to find out whether the elephants had drunk last night, 
but they had not. I wait quiet to-day in hopes they may come 
to-night; if not, I shall take the old trail and go in quest of them to-mor- 
row, for if they don't come to-night they must find water somewhere else, 
as they must drink every second night at the longest. 

There is plenty of buffalo, giraffe, and rhinoceros, but this is not what 
I want. The elephants are wary, and very hard indeed to come at, as 
they are now so much sought for, and every savage knows the value of 
the ivory. I have tried fishing to-day, as I dare not fire a shot for fear of 
frightening the elephants, who cannot be far away ; but the water was too 
clear and the sun too bright to do any good. 

A Little African. 

One day I bought, for the identical old musket before mentioned that 1 
was forced to take in exchange, and which I had managed to patch up 
with an old nail and the sinews of a buck, a little Masara boy — a 
waddling infant, certainly not more than two years old, but with an intel- 
ligent countenance, and not yet starved — whom I named Leche ; and he 
is a fine, quick little fellow. I am now quite fond of him. A gang of 
Bamangwatos, returning from hunting jackals, lynxes, wild cats, and 
skins of all kinds, had picked up this poor little urchin. They remained 
all night by my wagon, and the one who called himself owner broug* 




HERD OP AFRICAN ELEPHANTS 



217 



218 



MLWDl.RS OF THE TROPICS. 



him to me. My interpreter told me that if I did not take him they were 
just as likely to leave him as not, if they got tired of carrying him across 
the desert ; and knowing the fate in store for him, even if they got him 
home — the slave of a Bamangwato, who live from hand to mouth them" 
selves— I took compassion on him, and rescued him from their hands. 

One afternoon we unhitched close to the river, within a few hundred 
yards of where elephants had drunk the previous night, and we made all 
ready for a hunt in the morning ; and I was awakened at dawn by hear- 
ing loud cries from the Masaras, over the river, that the elephants had 
drunk there in the night. We swam the horses over with the aid of a 
canoe. The river is about 300 yards across, but the bottom is good, and 
the stream is not strong. The water is deliciously cold and clear — a 
great treat in this desert land. 

A Huge Monster. 

We took up the trail on the opposite side of three bulls, not, howevei 
until the bones had been cast, and the witch-doctor or prophet had fore^ 
told that we should find them, and that I should shoot a fat bull, with 
one long and one short tusk. I followed silently in the rear of the men, 
through a thick thorny bush. I had a presentiment that we were near 
them, and took my gun from the Kaffir's hands ; and not three minutes 
afterward I saw, from the gesticulations of the Masaras, they had seen 
them. The dogs were slipped, and all was quiet for some time, when I 
heard one bark, followed immediately by the trumpeting of a bull. I 
made the best of my way in the direction, when I was turned by a voice 
shouting, " Come here, Natoo," and made for him. 

I heard a shot behind me, turned at once, and caught sight of the 
retreating monster. The bush being uncommonly dense, I was fearful of 
losing him, and fired, striking him in the thick of the thigh, and he took 
up a position in a thicket, trumpeting and charging the dogs in all direc- 
tions, making a loud crashing. Unfortunately, the cap was driven into 
the nipple at the first shot, and I lost some time in trying to get it out, 
and broke the point of my knife, but I eventually succeeded with a strong 
needle which I had in my hat. There were five men with guns, but no 
one had ventured into the bush to give him a shot ; and the Kaffirs, no 
doubt, thought me afraid likewise ; but when I was sure of my gun, 1 
rode in, taking care to have a clear passage for a speedy exit. Wher> 
within about twenty-fivo yards, he threw up his trunk and came direct 
toward me. 

The horse stood still cts old Time, and I gave him a conical ball, five to 
the pound, backed by six drachms of fine powder, on the point of the 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 



219 



shoulder-blade. Flesh and blood could not stand before such a driver ; 
and, staggering and stumbling forward a few yards, he pitched i "ght on 
his head within fifteen yards of me ; then my brave followers immedi- 
ately rushed in and gave him a volley as he lay on his broadside, and it 
was all over with him. 

Though the other elephants could not have been far off, all hunting 

was over for that day, as the sight of so much fat meat was irresistible to 

the half starved Masaras; and nothing I could offer would induce them to 

Siake up the trail of the other bulls, so they will live to fight another day, 

Large Herd of Elephants. 

We crossed the river at dawn of day ; not, however, until I had paid a 
bag of powder and a bar of lead for the use of two old canoes, which, 
however, were indispensable to us. We took up the trail of a large herd 
of elephants, and followed it unremittingly till within two hours of sun- 
set, straight away from the river, to a thick grove of mapani-trees, the 
leaves of which very much resemble the beech, and are even now, in the 
depth of winter, green and luxuriant. Here we found a large herd of 
fifty or sixty, all cows and calves. They were feeding, but s on seeing us, 
they disappeared like magic; and when the dogs got among them, they 
spread in all directions. I shot, also, an old bull buffalo, and the Masa- 
ras and Makubas, though well wearied, made a night of it — that is, did 
not stop eating until morning ; consequently, only two, that we sent for 
water, were able to work the next day. 

The next morning we found a troop of eleven or twelve bull elephants 
in a thick hack-thorn bush on the banks of the river. As they crashed 
away, I rode hard in their rear, shouting lustily, and singled out the 
largest bull. I rode close, and he cleared a path for me. He turned to 
see who had the audacity to ride so near, for the horse's nose touched 
him, when I gave him a bullet behind the shoulder, and cleared out of 
his path. In reloading I lost him, and, cantering on his traii, he very 
nearly caught me, as he had stopped and turned round just where the 
path turned suddenly and sharply to the right, and I was almost under 
his very trunk ere I saw him. He was lying in wait, and made a ter= 
rific charge, trumpeting furiously ; the horse was round like a top, and 
away I went, with both rowels deep in his flanks as I threw myself on 
his neck. It was a very near shave ; his trunk was over the horse's hind 
quarters. I went through bush that, in cool blood, I should have pro- 
nounced impenetrable, but did not come off scathless ; my poor hands 
are shockingly torn, and my trowsers, from the knee, literally in shreds, 
though made of goatskin. After giving the elephant two more bullets I 




220 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 221 

iost him. The dogs were frightened to death, and would not leave the 
horse's heels. 

Boat Crews Drowned. 

The country all around appears to be a perfect flat, very unhealthy and 
uninteresting, with a lot of rubbishy reeds at this end, but it is wooded 
to the banks on the other side, and most of the way round. I gather 
from the natives that it is a three days' ride round the lake, but that the 
tsetse render it impossible for horses. The natives are afraid to cross in 
their frail canoes, as when a wind rises the water is very rough. Three 
canoes were swamped not long since, and their crews drowned. Not 
far from the southern point, the road the wagons take to Walvish Bay, 
there is a high ridge of rocks, Lechulatebe's strong-hold in case of an 
attack. These Kaffirs are always at war, cattle being the prime object. 
I could only get a very bad view of one end of the lake, but I must con- 
fess that I was disappointed in it. The chief went with me, and, by the 
aid of an interpreter, gave me all the information he could, and w as very 
kind and obliging. 

He is not a bad fellow at heart, I think, but a dreadful beggcu and 
very covetous. He appears to have no idea of being refused anything 
he fancies, gives you nothing in return, wants your things on his own 
terms, and asks outrageous prices for his. He is young, active, an ele- 
phant-hunter himself, a good shot, and possesses good guns. On our 
return I swam the river, which is about 300 yards wide, and he invited 
me to dinner. We dined in the open air, and were attended by the 
prettiest girls in the kraal, who knelt before us and held the dishes from 
which we ate. 

Kaffir Beauties. 

They wear no clothing but a skin around their loins ; their legs, arms 
necks, and waists are ornamented with beads of every variety, 
and ivory, brass, and copper bracelets. Finer-made girls than some oi 
the well-fed Kaffirs, I suppose, are not to be found. They have small 
hands and feet, beautifully-rounded arms, delicate wrists and ankles; 
their ~yes and teeth unsurpassable, and they are lithe and supple as 3 
Willow wand. 

They say perfect happiness does not exist in this world, but I should 
say a Kaffir chief comes nearer to it than any other mortal ; his slightest 
wish is law ; he knows no contradiction ; he has the power of life and 
death in his hands at any moment, and can take any quantity of wives 
and put them away at pleasure ; he is waited upon like an infant, and 
every wish, whim, and caprice is indulged in to the fullest extent ; and 

40 




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222 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 22S 

he has ivory, feathers, and karosses brought to him from all quarters, 
which he can barter with the traders for every article of luxury. 

Our dinner consisted of roasted giraffe, swimming in fat and grease, 
I always do in Rome as Rome does — eat (if I can) whatever is set before 
me, and shut my eyes if I feel qualmish. Nothing approaches the parts 
most relished by the natives in richness of flavor, and racy, gamy taste, 
The Kaffirs know well the best parts of every animal, and laugh at out 
throwing them away. But enough; I enjoyed my dinner. Perhaps a 
person with a delicate stomach might have found fault with the means 
used to fasten on the lids of the different dishes ; but the native plan is 
an excellent one, as everything is kept warm, and nothing can boil over 
or escape. Everything was scrupulously clean ; and jackals' tails, 
waved in abundance by the many slaves in attendance, kept away the 
flies. 

Shrewd Rascal. 

I afterward exchanged my hat with the captain for a pair of leatnet 
crackers, but had to give beads, knife, fork, and spoon into the bargain. 
The rascal had no conscience; and after plaguing me till I promised to 
give him some tea for the second time, for I had sent him about a pound 
on my arrival, he immediately dispatched a messenger for an immense 
earthenware jar, which would hold at least two chests, and was highly 
indignant at the pigmy appearance of the tea I put in it. He then 
plagued me for meal ; and when I offered to exchange with him for 
corn, provided he gave me two measures for one, he declared there was 
none in the state; he lies like a trooper, and only laughs when you 
find him out. He appears to be very good-tempered, however ; but all 
Kaffirs have great self-command, and they rarely, if ever, come to blows. 

Continuing his account of exciting adventures of the chase, Baldwin 
says: To-day I have been successful in bringing to bay a splendid fat 
eland cow. Accompanied by January on old Snowdon, two of my 
men, and seven Bakalahari, we sallied forth, and soon found fresh trails, 
which the Kaffirs followed in the most indefatigable manner ; they led 
us in a regular circle. Though we maintained a dead silence, the elands 
must have got our wind, as we found from the trail they were off at full 
speed. January then took up the trail, holding on fast by the pommel 
with one hand, and kept it in the most marvellous manner at a canter, 
wherever the bush would permit of it, for three or four miles at least. I 
followed in his wake, my horse Ferus (fearless), who is in excellent con- 
dition, pulling hard. I should have called a halt, but the trail led home- 
ward. January still kept on at a canter through the thick bush. At 




224 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 225 

tength I got sight of three cows ; the rest of the party had done their 
duty, it was now my turn : I contented myself by keeping them in sight 
till we got into a much more open part, when I let Ferus make play, and 
we went at a slashing pace over everything. The elands led me in among 
the Kaffir pitfalls, and I steered my nag wherever the fence was thickest, 
as being safest, and he jumped like a stag, and in a very short brush 
jingled out and ran right into the best cow, when I fired from the saddle 

Narrow Escape. 

One morning I found five bull elephants, gave chase, and singled and 
drove out the largest, and gave him a couple of pills to make him quiet; 
he shortly turned and stood at bay, about forty yards off, and then came 
on with a terrific charge. My newly-purchased horse, Kebon, which I 
was riding for the first time, stood stock still, and I intended to give the 
elephant my favorite shot in the chest, but at every attempt to raise the 
gun for the purpose of so doing my horse commenced tossing his head 
up and down, and entirely prevented me from taking aim. During my 
attempts to pacify and steady him, the bull charged, and I fired at ran- 
dom, and whether the ball whistled uncomfortably near the horse's ear 
or nr I can't say, but he gave his head so sudden a jerk as to throw the 
near .ein over on to the offside; the curb-chain came undone, a nd the 
bit turned right round in his mouth. 

The huge monster was less than twenty yards off, ears erected m\e 
two enormous fans, and trumpeting furiously. Having no <c<?mmaiul 
whatever of my horse, I dug the long rowels in most savagely, whe^i 
Kebon sprang straightforward for the brute, and I thought it v/as all up ; 
I leaned over on the offside as far as possible, and his trunk was within 
a few feet of me, as I shot close by him. 

I plied the rowels, and was brought again to a sudden t/./'Ad by three 
trees, in a sort of triangle; a vigorous dig, and he got th'.ojgh, My right 
shoulder coming so violently in contact with one of the trees ar- almost 
to unhorse me, slewing my right arm behind my back, over my left hip. 
I know not how I managed to stick to my gun, 14 lbs. weight, wi?h my 
middle finger only hooked through the trigger-guard, my left hand right 
across my chest, holding by the end of the reins, which, most fortu 
nately, I had in my hand when I fired, and in this fashion he went at a 
tearing gallop through a thick tangled bush and underwood mostly 
hack-thorns, over which my nag jumped like a buck. He was very 
nearly on his head three or four times, as the soil was very heavy, sandy, 
and full of holes. 

The monster was all this time close in my wake ; at length I got clear 

W. A.— 15 



226 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

from him, and he turned and made off in the opposite direction at his 
best pace. As soon as I could pull up, which I managed after perform- 
ing three or four circles, I jumped off, righted my bridle, and went after 
him like the wind, as he had a long start, and I was afraid of losing him 
In thick bush. After giving him ten shots, and sustaining three more 
savage charges, the last a long and silent one, far from pleasant, as my 
horse had all the puff taken out of him, and he could only manage to keep. 
his own before the brute, to my great satisfaction he at length fell, to rise! 
no more. I had long been quite exhausted, and could not even put a 
cap on the ninple. One of my men turned up about an hour after; he 




AT CLOSE QUARTERS. 

said he fired all his powder away, giving his elephant sixteen bullets to 
no purpose; but the horse looked quite fresh, and both barrels were 
loaded, and every man has a perfect right to form his own opinion as to 
£he reason why and wherefore. 

Elephant hunting is the very hardest life a man can chalk out for hinv 
self. Two blank days, riding five hours at a foot's pace to a ravine, where 
the Masaras tell you they have drunk; sleeping in the bush with nothing 
to eat; a drink of muddy water in the morning, out of a dirty tortoise- 
shell, which serves for breakfast, dinner, and supper; all day in the 
saddle- under a broiling sun, following after three half-starved Masaras in 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 227 

greasy, tattered skins, who carry a little water, which is nauseous to a 
degree, and never seeing life the whole day. Two days like this, followed 
by two successful ones, is about what you may expect. 

Nothing more miserable and dirty can be conceived than a Masara 
encampment. It consists of temporary half-thatched sheds, and a few 
bushes stuck in here and there to break the wind, with half-putrid dried 
flesh, water vessels, and shreds of old skins hung up in the surrounding 
trees. My trusty after-rider brings two or three armfuls of grass, and 
makes my couch in the most eligible corner, with my saddle for a pillow„ 
and here I court sleep till daybreak, lying close to a green wood fire, the 
smoke of which passes over you when you lie close to the ground, and 
keeps ofT the mosquitoes. 

There is something quite overpowering in the deathlike stillness of the 
forest at night — a brilliant sky, innumerable stars, bright and twinkling, 
dusky figures in all possible attitudes lying around, the munching of our 
faithful horses, which are tied to trees all night, and frequently the jackal's 
cry, the hyena's howl, the occasional low growl of a lion, or the heavy tramp 
and crash in the bush of a herd of elephants, with a scream which can 
be heard at an immense distance. This is the way our nights are usually 
passed in the bush, and the most light-hearted fellow in the world, when 
all alone for months, must have occasional fits of despondency, 

A Famous Bird. 

Full of thorns and bruises, and half dead from thirst, I off-saddled 
Kebon, knee-haltered him, and then lay under the shade of a tree, having 
not the most remote idea as to my whereabouts, shouting and firing 
blank powder to bring up the Masaras. To add, if possible, to the many 
mishaps, my horse had strayed, and I had to follow his trail, and did not 
overtake him for nearly a mile, and then I was obliged to retrace my own 
footsteps, which was not so easy. I had not long returned when one of 
my men turned up, and he led the way back at a trot on foot, distancing 
all the Masaras, and just at sunset got to the wagon, where I first got a 
drink. Such days as these are rather more than sport 

I was much amused by watching the tickbirds trying to alarm an old 
white rhinoceros that we were approaching from under the wind, quite 
ignorant of his danger. They ran into his ears and fluttered about his 
eyes, keeping up an incessant chirping, but he would not be warned till 
we got above wind, when he elevated head and tail, snuffed, trotted, and 
snorted, and went away in grand style at a swinging trot. We had better 
game in view ; but to-night I am going to watch the water, as the moon 
is high, and then he must be more wary. My fellows have just made 



228 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

a hole at the edge of the water, as game is very scarce, and we are hard 
up for meat. 

My poor dog Gyp, I grieve to say, was taken by a tiger. I had rid- 
den forward to water, and she came after me. It was night, and a native 
heard the scuffle, and poor Gyp's last breath, which left her carcase, not 
in the shape of a yell, but rather of a fierce angry whine that she could 
aaot gripe the brute in return. She was the gamest of the game, and had 
numberless escapes, wonderful, lucky, or providential, whatever you 
like to call them. Except my perfect Juno, I had sooner the fate had 
happened to any other of the pack. 

Combat with Tigers. 

Baldwin does not give any extended account of hunting the tiger, but 
we are able to present a spirited account from a traveller of an exciting 
tiger hunt, which took place in India. 

At break of day, he says, we set out in an imposing array. Twelve 
elephants, brilliantly trapped, bore the rajah, the principal officers of his 
suite, and your humble servant, lying, like the Romans at their feasts, 
on our backs, under the howdahs. Beside us lay several good rifles, 
and behind each of us, his eyes bandaged, a guepard, or hunting tiger. 
This curious animal, half-tiger, half-leopard, is famous for his extraordi- 
nary eyesight, his speed in running, and his courage in attack. At the same 
time he is a thoroughly good-natured and submissive companion, and 
makes a capital hunter besides. 

There were some hundred men in the party, besides porters, servants, 
and cooks, and we journeyed by short stages in really royal style. No 
one ever complains of the sleepy slowness of an elephant's gait. You 
enjoy the scenery, you are rocked by his gentle movement into the 
happiest frame of mind, and you " get there." 

After three days of this ideal travelling, one of our advance couriers came 
in to say that a tiger was reported in the neighborhood of one of the 
near villages, and we all prepared for an exciting day. I had my rifles 
cleaned and my ammunition and knives inspected, and resolved to give 
a good account of myself. We found that the tiger carried off daily a 
bull from the fields, and escaped with it into a densely grown marsh a few 
miles away. At least such was the story, if we chose to believe it. 
Exciting- Events Ahead. 

Hardly had we reached the locality before the guepards gava. unequi- 
vocal signs that they detected the presence of our game. Armed with 
spears, the men began to beat the bushes, much as if they were simply 
after hares. Still, as they did not seem to mind the danger, I could not 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 



229 



see why I should worry about them, though I sat ready with gun in rest 
on my elephant's back. 

The plan was successful : for two enormous tigers bounded out of the 
high underbrush like young cats. Our men's cries and the general hub- 
bub confused them and made them lose their heads, and they ran back 




A PERILOUS POSITION. 

and forth without any plan or method. Suddenly one of them sprang at 
my elephant with wild fury, as is their favorite method of attack. I 
came to the rescue with my rifle, and hurled the brute upon the ground, 
and the elephant placed his ponderous feet, one on its flanks and one on 
its head ! I felt a violent jerk and shock, and heard the cracking of bones 



•230 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

like the sound ot tree broken by the force of the tempest ; and I saw 

the beast flattened v.nder the weight of the massive pachyderm. 

The latter, proud of his deed, never lost his dignity or temper for an 

instant, and I showered caresses and sugar upon him in reward for his 

prompt courage. Meanwhile the other tiger had not remained inactive. 

He had succeeded in bringing down a young elephant, on which was 

mounted a son of the rajah, now on his first hunt ; the latter, however 5 

had the good sense to desert his mount, and leave the poor thing tc 

its fate. 

Desperate Battle. 

Immediately we all let loose our guepards, which fell upon the prey 
with their sharp teeth and indomitable courage. The fight became 
general ; the wounded tiger held its own against the numerous foe, put- 
ting several hors dn combat, laying them open with its fearful claws, or 
meeting its fangs in their throats. The struggle was intense, and the 
rajah's enjoyment of it was too, for he would not let me end it with a shot 
from my good rifle. After some minutes of this kind of thing he gave 
his men a signal, and they surrounded the combatants and with their 
spears put an end to the tiger, and drew off the limping guepards. 

The foregoing narrative will serve to show what startling risks are run 
by hunters in the Tropics. Baldwin's experiences are evidence of this, 
and we again quote from his thrilling account. 

I hardly know, he says, what I have done the last fortnight ; I have 
been five consecutive days in the saddle without finding elephants ; I am 
now three days on my road back again — a weary, long journey, without 
water so far, and I shall be obliged to wait for rain before I can get out, 
besides which the ravines are now full of a poisonous herb, which is cer- 
tain death in a few hours to oxen, so that we are obliged to be most 
cautious. Painter, one of my horses, was left behind yesterday for dead; 
thirst and the intense heat of the sun had, to all appearance, finished 
him ; but, to my amazement, he turned up again this morning, having 
found his way in the night to our old place. 

Chased l>y an Infuriated Buffalo. 

The best 01 my stud, Ferus, yesterday got desparately staked in the. 
breast. A wounded buffalo, which I was trying to drive, charged me 
most savagely, and none other but Ferus could have brought me safely 
out. It was a near thing for about one hundred yards, and when she 
was not two yards from my horse's tail, taking advantage of an opening 
in the bush, I wheeled half round in the saddle, and gave her a bullet 
through her right ear and grazed the top of her back, without, however, 



232 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

doing her any harm; but she shortly gave up the chase, when 1 
reloaded, dismounted, and brought her down. It was among hack= 
thorns, and my clothes were completely torn off my body. We had not 
a bite of anything at all at the wagon, and no near probability of getting 
anything, therefore I was rash, as a buffalo is a beast you cannot drive 

The nipple of my gun broke short off in the worm the other day, anc 
I tried every means to get it out for some time without effect, only mak« 
ing matters worse by breaking a plug short off that I had been harden- 
ing and shaping to fit all day. At last I made a drill bore, and suc- 
ceeded beyond my most sanguine expectations, and she is now none the 
worse. We are obliged to load heavily for South African game ; six 
drachms are my smallest dose, and my powder this year is excellent. 

I think it hardly possible for the country to be or look worse than 
now, and my poor oxen and horses have fallen off fearfully. All the 
water-courses are dried up, and we only get a small quantity of water at 
the fountains after hard digging, and the little grass there is terribly dry. 
In the early mornings, evenings, and night, it is so cold that there is ice 
in all the water-vessels, while the days are intensely hot; from ten to 
four it is hardly possible to travel ; we sometimes have high and ofteiv 
hot winds ; game of all sorts is as thin as deal boards, and the fare, con- 
sequently, very indifferent. 

Chase of the Giraffe. 

Let me give an account of a day's adventure wrth giraffes. 

I took a cup of coffee and a biscuit, and saddled up. I rode old Bryan, 
a tall, narrow-built, ewe-necked, remarkably long, blue-skimmel horse, 
resembling very much in appearance the animal we went to hunt, but with 
a great depth of shoulder and breadth of chest, and good girth, and some 
capital points about him, though an ungainly, ugly brute, and very heavy 
in hand, with a tender mouth. We shortly met six Kaffirs, who told 
us they had seen fresh trail of a troop of giraffes, and turned back to 
show us. We followed the trail some four miles, through thorns, and 
very stony and bad travelling, ascending the different heights to try to 
see them, but always following the trail as fast as the Kaffirs could keep 
up. I saw them first, full 500 yards off, seven or eight of them, and, on 
whistling for Swartz, one of my men, they immediately took right away, 
with a tremendous start. 

We made good play, at a swinging gallop, right through bush and 
stones, and, after a long burst, I came within twenty yards of them, when 
Bryan stopped in fear and trembling of the huge unwieldy brutes. I 
plied him sharply with the spurs, and got him once more under way. 




233 



234 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

keeping above the wind, as the giraffes have a strong effluvia, which 
frighten horses unused to them. We came out on the clearing, Swartz 
forty or fifty yards in advance of me, and as far behind the giraffes. The 
sight of the other horse gave Bryan confidence, and he bounded away in 
good style, and was alongside instantly, when they again dashed 
Into thick bush ; here Swartz turned out a cow, the very one I had set 
my mind on, and I at once took after a large bull. Now he bounded awa ; 
with his tail screwed round like a corkscrew, and going in one bound ai 
far as I went in three. 

"He Went Bang into a Bush.'* 

Bryan crashed through everything, and I lost my hat and tore 
my hands, arms, and shirt to pieces. At length I got marl/ 
alongside him, and fired, hitting him high in the neck, and taking no effect 
whatever on him. Here I got a pull on Bryan and managed to reload, 
still going on at a smart gallop, and once more got alongside, and, in 
trying to pull up to dismount, he went bang into a bush, which brought 
him up short, and he went to back out, the giraffe getting ioo yards in 
advance. I soon made up the lost ground, and headed him, endeavoring 
to turn him, but he slewed round like a vessel in full sail, bearing down 
almost on the top of me, with his huge fore legs as high in the air as the 
horse's back. I had lots of chances to dismount, but had no command 
of my nag ; his mouth was dead ; but not a sign of flagging about him. 
I steered him close alongside on the near side, held out my gun in one 
hand, within two yards of the giraffe's shoulder, and fired. The gun shot 
over my head, half breaking my middle finger, and down came the 
giraffe, with a tremendous crash, with his shoulder smashed to atoms. 
I must have had a heavy charge of powder in, as I loaded at random. 

Bryan was as still as a post instantly, and I lost not a moment in off- 
saddling him ere I inspected my giraffe, and then put the saddle-cloth 
over my bare head, as the sun was intensely hot. I must have run nearly 
five miles through hack-thorns and stones of all sizes, as straight as the 
crow flies. Swartz killed his cow, about a mile back, with one shot 
about one hundred yards off. We cut off his mane and tail as a trophy;, 
and the tongue and marrow-bone for immediate use ; and Swartz and 
John coming up, we went to his giraffe, which was the fattest, for meat 
The Kaffirs were there, and I offered them some beads to find my 
hat. 

I dispatched all the Kaffirs and dogs for meat early in the morning, as 
it was late when we got back the previous night. The meat is really 
tender and good. I followed my giraffe about twenty yards in the reaf 



A FAMOUS AFRICAN HUNTER. 



235 



for a mile at least, the stones rattling past my head occasionally. When* 
ever the ground favored, and I made a spurt, he did the same, appearing 
to have no end of bottom ; and Bryan could not come up with him, 
though he strained every nerve, and he has a long, swinging gallop, and 
leaves the ground fast behind him. 

Till within the last century, the very existence of this magnificent 
animal was doubted by civilized peoples — at least, it was no more believed 
in than the unicorn. Who can wonder at the incredulity of the people } 
I have seen an animal, said a traveller, with the skin of a leopard, the 
head of a deer, a neck graceful as the swan's; so tall, that if three tall 
men should stand on each other's shoulders, the tcpmost one c~"ild 




A RACE FOR LIFE. 



scarcely reach its forehead ; and so timid and gentle that the merest 
puppy by its bark could compel the enormous creature to its utmos* 
speed, which excels that of the hare or greyhound ! 

This was all the traveller knew of the giraffe, and he told it, and when 
folks heard or read, they winked, wagged their heads, as do knowing 
people while exercising their leading faculty, and flatly refused to be 
" gulled " by any such " traveller's tale." Suppose, however, the traveller 
had known as much about the giraffe as we know, and related it? 
Suppose, in addition to the particulars respecting the animal's shape and 
size, the traveller had told our great grandfathers that the tongue of th.6 
giraffe was such a wonderful instrument that, protruded a foot from the 



236 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

mouth, it was used as a grasper, a feeler, and an organ of taste ; that the 
giraffe's tongue was what in many respects the elephant's proboscis is to 
that ponderous animal ? That the giraffe's nostrils, oblique and narrow, 
were defended even to their margins by strong hairs, and surrounded by 
muscular fibres, by which they can be hermetically sealed, effectually 
preventing the entrance of the fine sand which the suffocating storms oi 
the desert raise in such clouds that man, with all the appliances sug- 
gested by his invention, must flee from or die ? That the giraffe's beau- 
tiful eyes, lustrous and prominent, were so situated that he could, without 
moving his head, sweep the whole circle of the horizon on all sides, 
oehind, before, every way, so that for any enemy to approach unawares 
was impossible ? 

I much question, if the traveller had related these wonders to our 
great grandfather — who was a stout-headed man and not to be trifled 
with — whether he would not have found himself behind a bedlam-grating 
in a very short time. 

Besides these mentioned, the giraffe possesses other features equally 
peculiar. The first impression one receives on viewing the at °"ual is, 
that its fore-legs are considerably longer than its hinder ones. This, 
however, is illusory. The walk of the giraffe is not majestic, the neck 
stretched in a line with its back giving it an awkward appearance. 
When, however, the animal commences to run, all symptoms of awkward- 
ness vanish, though its progression is somewhat peculiar. The hind-legs 
are lifter' alternately with the fore, and are carried outside of and far 
beyond them; while the long black tail, tufted at the end like a 
buffalo's, is curled above the back, and moves pendulum fashion exactlv 
as the neck moves, giving the creature the appearance of a curious and 
nicely-adj listed piece of machinery. 

Elegant Roan Antelope. 

Soon after my adventure with the giraffes I fell in with a single roan 
antelope, and cannot deny myself the pleasure of giving a full account oi 
the chase from first to last, as it will long live in my remembrance. I 
saw him first coming along at a swinging gallop, evidently startled by 
something, and endeavored to cut him off, galloping hard and keeping a 
tree between us. I got within ioo yards, jumped off, and missed him 
like a man going broadside past me ; swallowed my disgust as well as I 
could, reloaded, and gave chase. 

A stern chase is always a long one, and at the end of about three 
miles I could not perceive I had gained a yard on him. The bush get- 
ting thicker, I rode ioo yards wide of him, hoping I might gain ground 



m 



wf: 



M 







GIRAFFES FLEEING FROM A HUNTER. 



237 



238 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS 

on him unperceived, and as he burst once more into the clearing I hai 

bettered my position fully ioo yards, which he perceived, and put on the 
steam once more, and I was just pulling up in despair, when I saw his 
mouth open, and heard his breath coming thick and fast on the wind 
He was evidently much blown, but my good nag had likewise nearly all 
the puif taken out of him. The ground being frightfully stony, he had 
3D change his legs, alter his stride, and hop about like peas on a platter ; 
Still I had faint hopes, if I was favored by the ground, I might get a long 
f hot at him. I nursed my nag to the best of my judgment, roweling 
him well, but holding him fast by the head, and endeavoring still to keep 
a spurt in him whenever the ground favored, and in this manner I main- 
tained my distance, about 200 yards behind the antelope, which I now 
perceived to be shortening his stroke as he was nearing the steep banfe 
of a dry river. 

Crisis of Fate. 

Now or never ! I spurred my horse, and he put on a capital spurt, 
and, as he is an admirably-trained shooting horse, I could rely on his 
pulling up in ten yards, and I never checked him till within twenty yards 
of the bank. The magnificent old buck seemed to know, by instinct, thai 
this was the crisis of his fate, and tore away on the opposite bank harder 
than ever, making the stones clatter and fly behind him. In the twink- 
ling of an eye I stood alongside of my nag, steadied myself, gave one 
deep-drawn breath, planted my left foot firmly in front, raised my gun, 
and fired the moment I got the ivory sight to bear upon him, making an 
admirable shot. 

Not long after this I had a glorious day on my horse Jack. He 
carried me well up to a troop of roan antelopes, when my gun, unfortu- 
nately, missed fire. Saw a splendid old bull harrisbuck, but lost sight of 
him in trying to get below the wind, and never saw him again. Rode, 
far, climbing to the top of the hills ; at length saw about twenty-two 
harrisbucks ; got below the wind and within 300 yards, when they took 
the alarm. I had a very long chase of five miles, at least. 1 he ground 
Wng so bad , and my horse blind, I could only go steadily ; at lengthy 
got them at advantage, and put Jack's powers to the test. 

He galloped strong and well, and as they were thundering down a pass 
between two mountains, through a dry ravine, I got within three lengths 
of the hindmost buck. The pace was tremendous. One magraificent 
old bull I had set my heart on, and was close to him. Jack drew up 
short just on the brink of the ravine, and, in my hurry to jump oflf, T got 
Hoy foot fast in the stirrup. I had my back to the bucks, and when J tad 




239 



Z40 WONDERS OF THE TROPIC& 

extricated my foot 1 had lost my bull, I fired at a large black and ttffl 
cow, and either missed her altogether or gave her a bad shot. 
" It was Fine Work at Times." 

In the middle of the chase I almost jumped into an ostrich nest, but 1 
Could not think about eggs then. On returning to the wagons I heard 
my horse Bryan was very sick ; he had wandered away from the wagons, 
and we lost him, though I followed the trail till dark. I luckily heard 
from two Kaffirs that they had seen a horse's trail on the path going back 
ftt the break of day. Inyous, one of my party, and myself started in the 
direction the Kaffirs told us, and, thinking it not improbable we might 
be away three or four days, I put a cap, box of salt, and a dry eland'f 
tongue in my pocket, and Inyous carried two pounds of beads. On 
finding the trail eighteen hours gone, I pressed two Kaffirs from a kraal 
near by into the sei »/ice. It was fine work, at times, tracking him out 
We had many checks, and all spread out and made oui casts in a most 
systematic style, your humble servant hitting off the trail three times, 
but Inyous and one Bushman Kaffir did the most of the hunting. 

Once I had all but given him up on flinty, rocky ground: we cast 

around in evsry direction for an hour and a half to no purpose, and fol • 

.owed the trail for more than 300 yards on our hands and knees. .« 

faintest imaginable track being all we had to guide us — a small stone dis- 

pla red or a blade of grass cut off; so we kept on till we again got to 

sandy ground, when we took up the running four miles an hour, anr 

ibout midday we found him. I need not say how rejoiced I was to s^ 

him. 

The Plumed Ostrich. 

Respecting the degree of intelligence displayed by the wild ostrich, 
the opinions of travellers are at variance, some ascribing to it the most 
complete stupidity, and others giving it credit for unusual vivacity and 
cunning. Livingstone evidently inclines to the former opinion. He 
says, " It is generally seen feeding on some quiet spot where no one can 
approach him without being detected by his wary eye. As the wagon 
moves along far to the windward, he thinks it is intending to circumvent 
him, so he rushes up a mile or so from the leeward, and so near to the 
front oxen that one sometimes gets a shot at the silly bird. When he 
begi?»s to run, all the game in sight follow his example. I have seen 
seen this folly taken advantage of when he was quietly feeding in a val- 
ley open at both ends. A number of men would commence running as 
if to cut off his retreat from the end through which the wind came, and 
although he had the whole countrv. hundreds of miles, before him bv 







W. A.— 16 



241 



242 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

going to the othei end, on he madly rushed to get past the men, and SO 
was speared. He never swerves from the course he once adopts, but 
only increases his speed." 

In taking the eggs, the natives, if they wish to continue drawing on 
the nest, are obliged to use considerable caution. It is common enough, 
even when the hatching period is close at hand, for the whole of the 
proprietors of a nest to wander away from it in search of food, a circum* 
Stance that has doubtless given ground for the erroneous supposition 
that the bird in question leaves her eggs in the sand, trusting to the sun 
for their vivification. When the native finds a nest of eggs so aband* 
"Hied, he procures a long stick and rakes them out all but one or two ; if 
his is managed cleverly, and the wind has been favorable, the bereaved 
Dird will neither scent the thief nor be aware of her loss, but go on lay- 
ing for months, from June to October, supplying the Bushman with r~yr- 
laid eggs with the precision and regularity of the hens of our own farms 
and homesteads 

Ingenious Method for Getting- Water. 

Even the shell of the ostrich egg is an item of the utmost importance 
in the domestic economy of the v/andering Bushman. It provides him 
with plates and dishes and drinking-cups, and, more important still, with 
a convenient vessel in which to carry that first essential to existence, 
water, across the vast and thirsty plains of Africa. The singular and 
ingenious method of collecting water into these shells from the reedy 
and shallow pools is thus graphically described by Dr. Livingstone: 

" The constant dread of visits from strange tribes causes the Bat- 
kalahari to choose their residence far from water, and they not unfre- 
quently hide their supplies by filling the pits with sand and making 2 fire 
over the spot. When they wish to draw water for use the women come 
with twenty or thirty of their water-vessels in a bag or net on their 
backs. The water-vessels consist of ostrich egg-shells, with a hole in 
the end of each, such as would admit one's finger The women tie a 
bunch of grass to one end of a reed about two feet long, and insert it in a 
hole as deep as the arm will reach ; then ram down the wet sand firmly 
round it. Then applying the mouth to the thin end of the reed they 
form a vacuum in the grass beneath, in which the water collects, and in a 
short time rises into the mouth. An egg-shell is placed on the ground 
alongside the reed, some inches below the mouth of the sucker. A straw 
guides the water into the hole of the vessel as she draws mouthful after 
mouthful from below. The water is made to pass along the outside, not 
airough the straw. 




248 



244 WONDERS OF THE TROPIC& 

"An intelligent Bakwain related to me how the Bushmen effectually 
Oaulked a party of his tribe which lighted on their village in a state ol 
burning thirst. Believing, as he said, that nothing human could subsist 
without water, they demanded some, but were coolly told by the?' 
Bushmen that they had none, and never drank any. Expecting to fin^ 
them out, they resolved to watch them night and day. They persevered 
for some days, thinking that at last the water must come forth; but, not« 
withstanding their watchfulness, kept alive by most tormenting thirst, thy 
Bakwains were compelled to exclaim, ' Yak ! yak ! these are not men ; let 
us go.' Probably the Bushmen had been subsisting on a store hidden 
underground, which had eluded the vigilance of their visitors." 

Ostrich Chicks. 

The newly-hatched chicks are about as large as pullets, and as soon 
as they escape from the shell are able to walk about and follow their 
parents. The cock-bird, it seems, is just as able and certainly as willing to 
ike charge of his children as the hen. Dr. Livingstone says, " I have sev- 
ral times seen newly-hatched young in the charge of the cock, who made 
a very good attempt at appearing lame in the plove* fashion, in order to 
draw off the attention of pursuers. The young squat down and remain 
immovable when too small to run far, but attain a wonderful degree o( 
speed when about the size of common fowls. The color of the ostrich 
chick is a blending of gray and white, and harmonizes admirably with 
the color of the plains it is in the habit of traversing. Its external cover- 
ing at this stage of its existence is neither down nor feathers, but a sub* 
stance more resembling the bristles of the hedgehog spread scantily 
over its body." 

Should a Bushman discover a nest when a long d : stance from home, 
he is of course desirous of securing the precious eggs ; but how is he to 
carry them ? Pockets he has not, he is equally barren of pocket-hand- 
kerchief, and he does not invariably wear either a hat or a cap. Under 
such circumstances, dear reader, you or I would just take one in each 
hand and one under each arm, and walk off, regretting that we were 
Unable to secure any more. But the Bushman has a *' dodge " almost as 
mgenious as it is unscrupulous. He takes off his trowsers, tears a strip 
off the waistband, secures the bottom of each leg therewith, and is at 
once provided with a commodious double bag which he fills with eggs, 
and contentedly trots home with his bare legs scorching in the sun. The 
Bushman has implicit confidence in powdered ostrich egg-shell as a pre- 
ventive of eye diseases, and should his cattle be afflicted with strangury 
he will grind up a bit of the potent shell, mix it with vinegar, pour it 



I" 1 




245 



246 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

down the throat of the ox, and next morning the brute is sound again— 
at least, so says the Bushman. 

Although there are no authenticated instances on record of the ostrich 
ever having eaten so indigestible a thing as a " great horse-shoe," the 
obtuseness of taste displayed by the giant bird is very remarkable 
Methuen in his " Life in the Wilderness," when speaking of a female, 
ostrich that came under his immediate attention, says : " One day a Mus^ 
covy duck brought a promising brood of ducklings into the world, and 
with maternal pride conducted them forth into the yard. Up with 
solemn and measured strides marched the ostrich, and, wearing the most 
mild, benignant cast of face, swallowed them all one after another like so 
many oysters, regarding the indignant hissings and bristling plumage 
of the hapless mother with stoical indifference." 

Although it has always been known that the ostrich could je domesti- 
cated, it was not until within a comparatively recent period that this bird 
was supposed to possess any utility. Now the world is wearing ostrich 
feathers. These, which certainly are very graceful and attractive %r 
sold in all the great markets of the world, and are worn very extensively „ 
Of course there is a fashion in feathers as there is in everything else, and 
at certain periods there is a greater demand for ostrich plumes than a. 
others. 

An attempt has been made in California to domesticate the ostrich, 
and on a limited scale there are farms on the Pacific coast for the pur- 
pose of raising ostriches with a view to obtaining their feathers. 1 "These 
farms have been, so far, attended with a good degree of success. 



CHAPTER X. 
GALAXY OF RENOWNED EXPLORERS. 

J*eat Gorilla Hunter — Du Chaillu in the Jungles— First Gorilla Captured by $ 
White Man — Formidable Monster — Ghastly Charms— Battle with a Bull — Huntet 
Tossed on Sharp Horns — The Camma Tribe — A very Sick Man — Infernal-looking 
Doctor — Snake Bones and Little Bells — Extraordinary Performance to Find the 
Sorcerer — Huge Fraud — Andersson in Africa — Guides Lose Their Way— Lives oi 
the Whole Party at Stake — A Search for Water in All Directions — Necessity ol 
Returning Without Delay — Two Men Exploring the Country for Water Left Be- 
hind — Suffering of Men and Animals from Thirst — Grand and Appalling Confla- 
gration — Magnificent Spectacle— Cattle One Hundred and Fifty Hours Without a 
Single Drop of Water — Troop of Elephants — A Watch by Night— Wild Animals at 
a Water Course— Battle Between a Lion and Lion Hunter — Dogs and Natives — 
Exciting Hunting Scene — One Hundred Natives in the Field — Cameron in the 
Dark Continent — Illustrious Explorer — Expedition from Sea to Sea — Important 
Discoveries — Agreement Between African Explorers— Stanley's Fame Assured. 

PAUL B. DU CHAILLU has made himsdf famous, not only by 
his travels extending into new and hitherto unknown regions, but 
also by his adventures with the animals of the Tropics. Espec- 
ially are we indebted to Du Chaillu for his graphic account of iht 
gorilla, and for the captures he made at the risk of his own life and the 
lives of those who shared his exploits. This remarkable animal has 
been made known to the world mainly by the thrilling accounts of Du 
Chaillu. 

The following is Du Chaillu's narrative of the capture of his first 
gorilla: 

Suddenly, as we were yet creeping along, in a silence which made a 
heavy breath seem loud and distinct, the woods were at once filled with 
the tremendous barking roar of the gorilla. 

Then the underbrush swayed rapidly just ahead, and presently before 
Us itood an immense male gorilla. He had gone through the jungle oil} 
his all-fours ; but when he saw our party he erected himself and looked 
us boldly in the face. He stood about a dozen yards from us, and was a 
sight I think never to forget. Nearly six feet high, at least so ap* 
pearing, with immense body, huge chest, and great muscular arms, with 
fiercely-glaring large deep gray eyes, and a hellish expression of face, 
which seemed to me like some nightmare vision : thus stood before us 
this king of the African forests. 

247 



248 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

He was not afraid of us. He stood there, and beat his breast with his 
huge fists till it resounded like an immense bass-drum, which is their 
mode of offering defiance : meantime giving vent to roar after roar. 

The roar of the gorilla is the most singular and awful noise heard in 
these African woods. It begins with a sharp bark, like an angry dog, 
then glides into a deep bass roll, which literally and closely resembles the 
roll of distant thunder along the sky, for which I have sometimes beeip 
tempted to take it where I did not see the animal. So deep is it that it 
Seems to proceed less from the mouth and throat than from the deep 
chest and vast paunch. 

A Formidable Monster. 
clis eyes began to flash fiercer fire as we stood motionless on the defen- 
ce, and the crest of short hair which stands on his forehead began to 
twitch rapidly up and down, while his powerful fangs were shown as he 
igain sent forth a thunderous roar. And now truly he reminded me ol 
nothing but some hellish dream creature — a being of that hideous order, 
naif man, half beast, which we find pictured by old artists in some repre- 
sentations of the infernal regions. He advanced a few steps — then 
stopped to utter that hideous roar again — advanced again, and finally 
stopped when at a distance of about six yards from us. And here, as he 
began another of his roars and beating his breast in rage, we fired and 
killed him. 

With a groan which had something terribly human in it, and yet wat 
full of brutishness, it fell forward on its face. The body shook convul- 
sively for a few minutes, the limbs moved about in a stiuggling way, 
and then all was quiet — death had done its work, and I had leisure to 
examine the huge body. It proved to be five feet eight inches high, and 
the muscular development of the arms and breast showed what immense 
strength it had possessed. 

My men, though rejoicing at our luck, immediately began to quarrel 
about the apportionment of the meat — for they really eat this creature, 
1 saw that we should come to blows presently if I did not interfere, and 
(therefore said I should myself give each man his share, which satisfied 
all. As we were too tired to return to our camp of last night, we deter- 
mined to camp here on the spot, and accordingly soon had some shel* 
ters erected and dinner going on. Luckily, one of the fellows shot a 
deer just as we began to camp, and on its meat I feasted while my men 
ate gorilla. 

I noticed that they very carefully saved the brain, and was told that 
charms were made of this— charms of two kinds. Prepared in one way. 




TERRIBLE COMBAT Wir±i A GORII<I,A 249 



250 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

the charm gave the wearer a strong hand for the hunt, and in another it 
gave him success with women. This evening we had again gorilla sto- 
ries—but all to the same point already mentioned, that there are gorillas 
inhabited by human spirits. 

The young athletic Negroes, in their ivory hunts, well know the hab» 
its of the gorilla. He does not, like the lion, sullenly retreat on seeing 
them, but swings himself rapidly down to the lower branches, courting 
the conflict, and clutches at the foremost of his enemies, The hideous 
aspect of his visage, his green eyes with their glaring fire, his open 
mouth and fierce-looking teeth, the savage hand-like claws which form 
the end of his lower extremities, all render him an object of terror. When 
he is pursued, as he is sometimes by daring natives who are his natural 
enemies, he will defend himself with the utmost courage, and has been 
known to attack his foes with indescribable fury. 

Continuing his account of the adventures of the chase, Du Chaillu 
narrates what happened to one of his men. It is a wonder the poor 
native did not lose his life. 

Hunter Tossed by a Bull. 

\ started out early to try and get a shot at some buffalo which were 
said to be in the prairie back of the town. Ifouta, a hunter, accompanied 
me, and met with an accident through losing his presence of mind. We 
had been out about an hour, when we came upon a bull feeding in the 
midst of a little prairie surrounded by a wood which made our approach 
easy. Ifouta walked around opposite to where I lay in wait, that if the 
animal took alarm at him it might fly toward me ; and then began to 
crawl, in the hunter fashion, through the grass toward his prey. All 
went well till he came near enough for a shot. Just then, unluckily, the 
bull saw him. Ifouta immediately fired. The gun made a long fire, and 
he only wounded the beast, which, quite infuriated, as it often is at the 
attack of hunters, immediately rushed upon him. 

It was now that poor Ifouta lost his presence of mind. In such cases, 
which are continually happening to those who hunt, the cue of the hun« 
ter is to remain perfectly quiet till the beast is within a jump of him, theis 
to step nimbly to one side and let it rush past. But Ifouta got up 
/and ran, 

Of course, in a moment the bull had him on his horns. It tossed 
him high into the air once, twice, thrice, ere I could run up, and, 
by my shouts, draw its fury to myself. Then it came rushing at me. 
But my guns do not hesitate^ and, as I had a fair shot, I killed it 
without trouble. 




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251 



252 WONDERS OF THE "TROPICS. 

Ifouta proved to be consiaer ably bruised, but, on the whole, more 
scared than hurt ; and when I had washed him off in a creek near by, he 
was able to walk home. 

When Du Chaillu was among the tribe called Camma, he had a curi- 
ous experience with a doctor who was celebrated for detecting evil spir- 
its and healing the sick. He says : 

Ishungui, the man who had faithfully taken care of my house, lay at* 
death's door. He had gone out on a fishing excursion, caught cold, and i 
had now a lung fever. I knew when I saw him that he must die, and 
tried to prepare his mind for the change. But his friends by no means 
gave him up. They sent for a distinguished doctor, and under his aus- 
pices began the infernal din with which they seek to cure a dying 
raian. 

Infernal Looking- Doctor. 

The Camma theory of disease is that Okamboo (the devil) has got 
into the sick man. Now this devil is only to be driven out with noise, 
and accordingly they surround the sick man and beat drums and kettles 
close to his head ; fire off guns close to his ears ; sing, shout, and dance 
all they can. This lasts till the poor fellow either dies or is better— 
unless the operators become tired out first, for the Camma do ;ors either 
kill or cure. 

Ishungui died. He left no property, and his brother buried him with- 
out a coffin in a grave in the sand, so shallow that, when I chanced upon 
it some days after, I saw that the wild beasts had been there and eaten 
the corpse. The mourning lasted but six days ; and, as there were no 
wives or property, so there was no feast. The relatives of the deceased 
slept one night in his house, as a mark of respect; and then all that 
remained was to discover the person who had bewitched the dead man. 
For that a young man, generally healthy, should die so suddenly in 
course of nature was by no means to be believed. 

A canoe had been dispatched up to the lake to bring down a great 
doctor. They brought one of the chief's sons, a great rascal, who had 
been foremost in selling me an idol, and who was an evident cheat. 
When all was ready for the trial, I went down to look at the doctor, who 
looked literally " like the devil.'' I never saw a more ghastly object. 
He had on a high head-dress of black feathers. His eyelids were painted 
red, and a red stripe, from the nose upward, divided his forehead in two 
parts. Another red stripe passed round his head. The face was painted 
white, and on each side of the mouth were two round red spots. About 
his neck hung a necklace of grass and also a cord, which held a box 




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254 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS, 

against his breast. This little box is sacred, and contains spirits. A 
number of strips of leopard and other skins crossed his breast and were 
exposed about his person ; and all these were charmed, and had charms 
attached to them. From each shoulder down to his hands was a white 
stripe, and one hand was painted quite white. To complete this horrible 
^rray, he wore a string of little bells around his body. 

A Huge Fraud. 

He sat on a box or stool, before which stood another box containing 
charms. On this stood a looking-glass, beside which lay a buffalo-horn 
containing some black powder, and said, in addition, to be the refuge of 
many spirits. He had a little basket of snake-bones, which he shook 
frequently during his incantations ; as also several skins, to which littlt 
bells were attached. Near by stood a fellow beating a board with two 
sticks. All the people of the village gathered about this couple, who, 
after continuing their incantations for quite a while, at last came to the 
climax. A native was told to call over the names of persons in the vil- 
lage, in order that the doctor might ascertain if any one of those named 
did the sorcery. As each name was called the old cheat looked in the 
glass to see the result. 

During the whole operation I stood near him, which seemed to trouble 
him greatly. At last, after all the names were called, the doctor declared 
that he could not find any " witch-man," but that an evil spirit dwelt in 
the village, and many people would die if they continued there. I have 
a suspicion that this final judgment with which the incantations broke up 
was a piece of revenge upon me. I had no idea till next day how seri- 
ously the words of one of these Ouganga doctors is taken. 

The next morning all was excitement. The people were scared : they 
said their chief was not willing to have them live longer here ; that he 
would kill them, etc. Then began the removal of all kinds of property 
and the tearing down of houses ; and by nightfall I was actually left alone 
in my house with my boys, both of whom were anxious to be off. 
Adventures of Andersscn. 

Another explorer who has gained a world-wide fame and deserves to 
toe ranked with such heroes as Stanley, Emin Pasha, Speke and Grant, 
and others, is Andersson, who gives us a graphic account of his travels t 
Several of his remarkable experiences we here reproduce, and the reader 
will doubtless confirm the opinion that these are of special interest. One 
extraordinary part of his travels in the Tropics relates to the privations 
and sufferings which he and his party underwent from lack of water. 
The reader must remember that travellers in the Tropics very often suffer 



GALAXY OF RENOWNED EXPLORERS. 



255 



from extreme thirst. Andersson's experience in this respect is one of 

the most remarkable on record. The following is his vivid account of it, 

On the second evening, or on the third after leaving Okaoa, I saw the 

guides suddenly halt and look about them, as if undecided how to pn> 




A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE. 

Seed. They had a short time previously declared that we should <eac! 
water that night. My suspicions were therefore at once aroused, or 
rather my heart misgave me. " Surely," I muttered to myself, " the fel- 
lows are trying to deceive us, or they have lost their way ! " The one 
conjecture was as bad as the other. For a few seconds I remained 



256 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

silent; but, seeing them still wavering, I advanced, and in a voice tremtv 
ling with rage and distress, thundered out, " Where is the water, men ? " 
adding, with my fowling-piece presented at the head of the acting guide, 
" If you don't bring us to water before noon to-morrow, you die. Pro- 
ceed." 

It soon became obvious, however, that they had lost themselves, and 
that, under such circumstances, threats would only tend still more to 
Confuse them. I consequently, as they were wandering to and fro like 
men groping in the dark, and the night was fast closing upon us, 
sounded a halt to bivouac. That night was perhaps the most painful 
one in my life. I felt most keenly that not only the issue of the under- 
taking, but the lives of my party, were at stake. The agony I suffered 
is indescribable:; yet, lest I should frighten my attendants, I did not 
betray the deep emotions that agitated me. They had, nevertheless, 
already taken the alarm ; dismay — nay, despair — was depicted on every 
countenance, but, be it said to their credit, not a m rmur escaped them. 
Supposing the place wz were in search of should not be found, the 
nearest water, Okaoa, was three long days' journey off. Could this 
place be reached in saiHy in our present weak state ? I dared scarcely 
answer the question. The possible answer seemed too awful to dwell 
upon. 

Lost in the Wilderness. 

Sleep was that nigl-rf:, of course, out of the question, and before break 
ct day I was in the saddle in search of water, having first dispatched 
three different partes on the same errand in as many directions. 1 
returned to the car-ip after eight hours' sharp riding and walking, my 
horse completely done up — unsuccessful ! My approach was watched 
by the men at the wagon with feverish anxiety ; there was no need oi 
words ; my face told but too plainly my complete failure. One of my 
men who had also been absent on a similar mission, soon joined us, 
equally successless. Two parties were still absent, and on their efforts 
rested now all our hopes ; but hour after hour elapsed without any nevi/s 
The sun set, yet no men. The shadows of evening crept upon us, yet no 
Tien. The moon rose, yet no men. 

Our anxiety was at its height. Had the men found the water, or hari 
they lost themselves in this fearful and death-boding wilderness ? Should 
I wait for the return of daylight before finally deciding on what course 
to pursue, or should I face back at once ? These and many others were 
the distracting thoughts that crowded in rapid succession on my giddy 
brain. The delay of a night would occasion the loss of another day. ?n.d 




W\ A.— 17 



257 



258 WONDERS OF Tha TROPICS. 

then, just suppose the absent parties unsuccessful in finding water f what 
would be the result ? Apparently inevitable destruction. 

Terrible Sufferings. 

The oxen had now been four days without water, and their distress 
was already very great. Their hollow flanks, drooping heads, and low 
nelancholy moans, uttered at intervals, told but too plainly their misery 
and went to my heart like daggers. My poor horse was no longer an 
animated creature, but a spectre of himself — a gaunt, staggering skeleton 
The change that had come upon him during the last twenty-four houn 
was incredible. From time to time he would put his head into the 
wagon, into anyone's hands, and, looking wistfully and languidly 'ntc 
his face, would reproachfully (his looks conveyed as much) seem to .say, 
" Cruel man, don't you see I am dying ; why don't you relieve my burn- 
ing thirst? " The dogs, again, ceased to recognize my caresses. Their 
eyes we*e so deeply sunken in their sockets as to be scarcely per- 
ceptible. They glided about in spectral silence; death was in their 
%ces. The wagon was heavily laden, the soil exceedingly heavy, the 
sun in the daytime like an immense burning-glass, and the oppressive- 
ness of the atmosphere was greatly increased by the tremendous _^/es, 
which, ravaging the country far and wide, made it like a huge fiery 
furnace. 

Under such circumstances the oxen could never hold out for seven 
days — the time which must, I calculated, elapse before I could reach 
Okaoa — without water! Well, chen, with all these ominous facts and 
forebodings before me, would it be advisable to await the return of the 
absent men ? A few moments of anxious self-communion determined 
me not to do so, but to retrace my steps without farther delay. This res- 
olution was, of course, the death-blow to the expedition. Before starting 
on our backward course I fired a number of shots, which received no 
answer, to attract the notice of the absentees. 

Appalling- Spectacle. 

I had yet a small supply of water in the wagon, having taken the pre- 
caution at starting to take the entire stock under my immediate charge 
I now served out a few mouthfuls to each individual, left a smal) quan- 
tity, together with a few biscuits, on a bush for the absent men, should 
they find their way back, and then began the return journey at a brisk 
pace, but with a heavy heart. 

Health and strength, time and the season, had been thus wasted and 
lost, heavy pecuniary sacrifices made, the life of men and valuable beasts 
jeopardized, bright prospects blighted, and all — all to so little purpose! 




SOUTH AFRICAN KANGAROOS 



259 



260 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



My feelings on this memorable occasion may be more easily imagined 
than described. 

We had proceeded but a comparatively short distance, and were just 
escaping out of a thorn-thicket when we were suddenly startled by a 
grand, but to us appalling sight. 

The whole country before us was one huge lake of flames. Turning 
|0 one of the natives, I exclaimed, " Good God, our return is cut 
oflf ! " I had seen many wood and grass fires, but nothing to equal 
this.. Immediately in front of us lay stretched out like a sea a vast pas- 
ture prairie, dotted with occasional trees, bounded in the distance by 
groves of huge giraffe thorns, all in a blaze ! Through the very midst of 

this lay our path. By delaying a few 
hours the danger would have been con- 
siderably diminished, if not altogether 
over ; but delay in our case seemed al- 
most more dangerous than going for- 
ward, and so on we pushed, trusting to 
some favorable accident to bring us 
through the perils we had to face. 

As we advanced we heard distinctly 
the sputtering and hissing of the in- 
flamed grasses and brushwood, the 
cracking of the trees as they reluctantly 
yielded their massive forms to the unre- 
lenting and all-devcuring element, the 
screams of startled bii ds and other com- 
mingling sounds of terror and devasta- 
warrior with battle-axe. tion. There was a great angle in our road, 
running parallel, as it were, to the raging fire, but afterward turning abruptly 
into a burning savanna. By the time we had reached this point, the con- 
flagration, still in its glory on our right, was fast receding on our left, thu? 
opening a passage, into which we darted without hesitation, although the 
ground was still smouldering and reeking, and in some places quite alive 
with flickering sparks from the recent besom of hot flames that had swept 
over it. 

Tired as our cattle were, this heated state of the ground made the poor 
brutes step out pretty smartly. At times we ran great risk of being 
crushed by the falling timbers. Once a huge trunk, in flames from top 
to bottom, fell athwart our path, sending up millions of sparks, and scat- 
tering innumerable splinters of lighted wood all around us, while "he 




GALAXY OF RENOWNED EXPLORERS. 



261 



numerous nests of the social grossbeaks in the ignited trees looked like 
s»o many lamps suspended in designs at once natural, pleasing, and splen- 
did. It was altogether a glorious illumination, worthy of Nature's pal- 
ace with its innumerable windows and stately vaulted canopy. But the 
langer associated with the grand spectacle was too great and too iromt- 
"lent for us thoroughly to appreciate its rragnificence. Indeed, we wet* 
geally thankful when once our backs 
«rere turned on the awful scene. 

At break of day we halted for a few 
minutes to breathe and to change 
oxen, then continued to journey on. 
1 dispatched all the loose cattle ahead, 
giving the men orders to return with 
a fresh team as soon as they had 
drunk, fed, and rested a little. We 
arrived at the ravine a little before 
mid. ight, but on attemping to kraal 
the oxen, notwithstanding their fa- 
tigue, the thirsty brutes leaped over 
the stout and tall thorn fences as if 
they had been so many rushes, and 
with a wild roar set off at full speed 
for Okaoa fountain, whioM they 
reached the following day laving 
then been more than one hundred and 
fifty hours without a single drop of 
water l 

Before reaching the water the men 
in charge of the loose cattle had be- 
come so exhausted with long and in- 
cessant marching, suffering all the 
time from burning thirst, that one by 
0Re they had sunk down. The cat- 
&e, unherded, found their way to the fountain without much difficult, 
but the wretched horse missed his, and kept wandering about until he 
dropped from sheer exhaustion. Some natives fortunately found the 
brute, and reporting the discovery to their chief, he good-naturedly 
brought the dying beast some drink and fodder, by which mean? 
he gradually recovered. The animal, when found, had been sevea 
days without water. I had no idea that a horse was capable ofl 




CARVED IVORY TRUMPETS 



262 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 



enduring fatigue and thirst to the extent experienced by this hack d 
mine. 

The poor dogs were by this time in a fearful state. What was once n 
clear perspicuous eye now appeared like a mere lustrous speck under a 
shaggy brow. Blood flowed at times from their nostrils , and it was 
"vith difficulty they dragged along their worn and emaciated carcasses 
;4ometimes they tried to give vent to their great sufferings in Msrn^t 
l©wls, half stifled in the utterance. 

Some of the men were nearly as much af- 
fected. One was more than once speechless 
from thirst, and it was quite pitiful to see him, 
like a man despairing of life, chew old coffee - 
tobacco and withered tea-leaves. For my own 
part, I am thankful to say I suffered on this try- 
ing occasion, in a bodily sense at least, less per- 
haps than the rest of my party. 

The day after our arrival at the watercourse 
; the lost men suddenly and unexpectedly made 
Lo their appearance, and, to my great surprise, 1 
^ learned that they had accidentally stumbled 
^ upon the very water we had so long searched 
' for in vain, in retracing their steps to the 
wagon to report the good news they had unfor- 
tunately lost their way, and, after a fruitless 
search, were obliged to bivouac on the waste. 
Like myself, they had repeatedly discharged 
guns, but as this was done long after dark, it is 
probable the wagon had by that time taken its 
departure, so that their signals were unheard 
and unanswered. 

On the eighth day, late in the evening, I 
reached Okaoa in safety, without the loss ol s 
single man or beast, all, however, being in a dreadful state of prostration 
riot only from fatigue and hardship, but from torn and lacerated feet 
fhis, coupled with the impossibility of procuring trustworthy guides, 
with the evident dearth of water, the absence of game, and many other 
formidable hinderances, induced me to face homeward without any 
further delay than was necessary to recruit in a measure the strength anc' 
vigor of bipeds and quadrupeds. 
By a careful computation, I found that the distance was 115 hour? 




CHIEF WITH REMARKABLE 
GOATEE. 



GALAXY OF RENOWNED EXPLORER& 



263 



Actual travel, which is equivalent to 300 English miles in round numbers, 
While in our last two fruitless attempts to push northward we had trav- 
elled one hundred and twenty hours, that is, about three hundred and 
thirty English miles — a distance more than sufficient to have brought us 
to the Cunene — nay, there and back again — had we been able to hold 
our course directly for that river. 

If I had been travelling in the North of Africa, for instance, crossing 
Ae Nubian Desert, I could have availed myself of an animal that under* 
( oes privation arising from want of water better than horses or oxen, 
W" c»tf)>e] k celebrated for its endurance. It seems to be constructed 




CAMEL OF ARABIA. 

for the purpose of carrying sufficient water to last it for a number ot 
days. It can drink and then go a long time without any apparent incon* 
yenience. The Arabs, who cross tropical deserts, also have a way o! 
Tarrying water in skin bags, which, although not very palatable aftei, a 
slumber of days' journey, is, nevertheless, better than none at all. The 
accompanying engraving shov/s a traveller in the desert leading his 
camel, and among the various articles with which the beast is loaded, we 
may be sure there is a supply of water c 

Andersson mentions another remarkable animal^ sometimes sought by 
the hunter : Wild boars were rather numerous along the Omuramba, and 
frequently afforded us excellent coursing. The speed of " n °se animals is 



264 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS, 



surprisingly great. On open ground, when fairly afoot, I found the dag^ 

no match for them, and yet some of my curs were rather swift of ioot 
The dogs, nevertheless, dodged them at times successfully ; at others 




TRAVELLER AND CAMEL CROSSING THE DESERT. 



they came willingly to bay. They fight desperately. I have seen wild 
boars individually keep off most effectually half a dozen fierce assailants. 
I have also seen them, when hotly pursued, attack and severely woimf 
their pursuers. We killed occasionally two, and even three of them, ir 




265 



266 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

the course of a day. When young and fat they proved capital eating, 
and from their novelty were quite a treat. 

Other game was almost daily secured, and my party gorged to their 
hearts' content on animal food. Indeed, we had plenty to spare. The 
animals we usually killed were a kind that can abstain long from drink- 
ing, for water is exceedingly scarce in this country — so much so that it 
Was only with very great difficulty we could obtain a sufficiency for our 
cattle. 

One night I encounted a troop of lions under circumstances which 
exhibited these royal beasts in a somewhat new light. 

In the early part of the night I had observed several animals gliding 
noiselessly to the water, but considerably out of range. Not being able 
to make out what they were, I slipped quietly out, and approached 
the spot where they were drinking. I got, from the nature of 
the ground, pretty close to them unperceived, yet was still unable to 
name them. From the sound of lapping at the water, I concluded that 
I had hyenas before me, and as one of three animals was leaving the 
water-way I fired. The bullet took effect, and, uttering a growl, the beast 
disappeared. Whereupon, " Surely not lions ! " I muttered to myself. 
The remaining two had in the mean time also ceased drinking, and were 
moving lazily away, when a low shrill whistle from me at once arrested 
their steps. 

I leveled and pulled the trigger ; in vain this time, the ball went too 
high — in short, right over the object aimed at. The animal did not, 
however, budge an inch, and I now clearly saw a lion. Rising to my 
feet, I shouted, in order to drive him off; but he remained stationary. I 
did not at all like his appearance, and hastened at once back to my 
ambush to reload. When again quite ready and on the look-out for 
him, he was gone ; but almost immediately afterward two others resem- 
bling the first approached the water. Having drunk their fill, they were 
about to retrace their steps, when suddenly — my person being purposely 
exposed to view — they seemed to espy me, and eyeing me for a few 
I seconds, one— the largest — made straight for my ambush. 

An Exciting- Duel. 

This seemed strange ; but, to make quite sure of his intentions, I stood 
up, and when the brute was within about forty yards of me, shouted. To 
my utter surprise, instead of moving off he came quickly on, till at a dis- 
tance of twenty-five paces or t thereabouts he suddenly squatted, evidently 
intending to spring on me. " Nay, old fellow," I muttered to myself, " if 
that's the ticket, I will be even with you ; " and, dropping the double- 




267 



268 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. 

barreled gun which I held in my hands at the moment, I seized the eie* 
phant rifle, leveled, took a very steady aim at his chest, and fired. The 
bullet sped true, and I thought I had killed him outright ; but not so l 
for after rolling over two or three times, he scrambled up and decamped. 
However, I had no doubt in my own mind that the wound would prove 
fatal. On receiving the shot he gave a startling growl, and in making 
his escape was joined by his associate, who had, while the duel was vem& 
ingj 'eraained a passive spectator. 

Death in the Jungle. 

At break of day, taking up the trail of the wounded animal, I had only 
proceeded about two hundred yards when the dogs gave tongue at a 
small bush, where immediately afterward I saw a stately lion rise to his 
feet and limp forward two or three paces. Eut the exertion was too 
much for him; he hr'ted, and, turning half round, looked fiercely at Ids 
assailants. Not being myself in a favorable position, I shouted to my 
men to fire. 

One responded to the call, and the lion dropped to rise *"o more. In 
an instant the dogs were clinging to his ears, throat, anc, head. The 
brute, still alive, grappled bravely with his assailants. The next moment 
half a dozen spears were quivering in his body, and a hundred more or 
so would soon have been similarly sheathed had I not promptly ridden 
up and stopped the natives, who were rushing in upon the prostrate foe 
like maniacs. I wished the dogs to finish him, and they did so ; but three 
of the best were wounded in the scuffle, only one, however, at all seri- 
ously. The aim which had killed this lion had been most perfect. The 
Dullet had entered exactly the centre of his chest, and, traversing the 
entire length of his body, had taken its egress through the right hind 
quarter. It was really, therefore, to me a matter of great surprise that 
the beast had survived the wound so long. 

This was decidedly the most exciting hunting scene I have ever wit- 
nessed. Besides my own people, more than one hundred natives wert 
in the field, vociferating frightfully, and waving and darting their ox-tail 
plumaged spears with a ferocity and earnestness that would have mad? 
a stranger think they were preparing for some dreadful battle. 
Cameron's Expedition. 

Another name on the illustrious roll of tropical heroes is that of 
Cameron. Cameron shares the distinction with Stanley of having 
crossed the Dark Continent from sea to sea. His expedition was 3 
remarkable illustration of perseverance and heroic endurance. His route 
Jay through Central Africa, and the reader has probablv been made 



GALAXY OF RENOWNED EXPLORERS 



269 



aware of the fact that this is the most interesting portion of the Dark 
Continent, for the reason that it is the portion which has been explored 
the least, and also from the fact that it contains the sources of the Nile. 




The problem of many centuries has been "Where does the Nile rise." 
This question has been asked by scientific societies, by individual ex- 
plorers and by the world in general. It was very natural that Speke 



270 



WONDERS OF THE TROPICS, 



and Grant, Stanley and Livingstone, and then Cameion should makft 
this region the field of observation and exploit. Baker started from 
Cairo and came south through the White Nile Valley. His name is 
associated with the Soudan and the regions adjacent. It was left for 
Cameron to place his name beside that of Stanley by making an expedi- 
tion from one ocean to the other. This he did, and accompanying this 
.sketch of his achievements is an accurate map showing the region he 
traversed. 

Cameron has rendered important service to physical science and 
geography. His discoveries have been of a very important character, 
and these have only confirmed the discoveries which were made before 
his expedition and since. In fact it is noticeable that the great African 
explorers who have traversed realms widely apart and then have been 




REGION EXPLORED BY CAMERON. 

brought together at some point of conjunction, have agreed almost per- 
fectly concerning the physical characteristics of the continent. While 
jealousy has, of course, been excited on the part of their friends, and 
many absurd claims have been made, the men themselves have been 
comparatively free from this petty spirit. 

Stanley was doubted, was called in question, and there were those whc 
at first disbelieved that he had ever seen Livingstone, but when they came 
to obtain the evidence of his wonderful triumph, which could not be 
denied, they gracefully yielded and gave to him the unqualified praise he 
deserved. From this time on Stanley's fame was assured; no one 
doubted that he was the foremost hero of the age in tropical discovery 



juh n 



